According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, on July 3rd local time, a high-ranking Iranian source revealed that in the past five days, senior U.S. officials have carried out comprehensive pressure measures to dissuade countries from attending the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that U.S. Secretary of State Rubicoff issued a confidential directive on June 26 to all U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, instructing them to use all U.S. diplomatic resources to inform the governments of the countries where these institutions are located that if their officials attend the funeral of Iranian leaders, it will be considered an unfriendly act by the U.S., and as a result, bilateral relations between the U.S. and those countries will suffer negative effects.
Two Arab diplomats, who spoke anonymously, said that Rubio has already discussed this matter face-to-face with diplomatic officials from at least five Arab countries.
It is reported that American ambassadors to various African countries have also explicitly threatened that if the relevant countries attend the funeral, the US may reduce its development assistance to that country. A major North African nation lowered the level of representation in this funeral delegation precisely out of concern that bilateral relations with the US could be damaged.
Multiple evaluations indicate that at least 13 countries have canceled their participation in the event under pressure from the United States. These countries include 3 Eastern European nations, 5 African nations, 2 Gulf Arab states, and 2 major East Asian nations.
Reports indicate that some countries, under pressure from the United States, have tried to communicate with Iran through intermediaries or their diplomatic agencies in Geneva or New York. These countries are attempting to apologize to Iran and explain their reluctant actions. Some other countries suggested sending only diplomats based in Tehran to attend the ceremony, but this proposal was rejected by Iran.
