Hezbollah delegation, families of senior commanders paying. respects to slain Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on 3 July 2026. (Screenshot from Al Maydeen's instagram/almayadeenlebanon)
Lebanon’s Defence Minister Michel Menassa arrived in Tehran on Friday to represent Lebanon at an official memorial ceremony for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Separately, a Hezbollah delegation and families of senior commanders also attended and paid their respects, according to footage aired by Al Mayadeen.
Menassa was received at Tehran airport by an official Iranian delegation and by Lebanon’s Ambassador to Iran, Ahmed Swaidan.
For its part, a delegation from Hezbollah, along with the families of former leader Hassan Nasrallah, commander Imad Mughniyeh, and other slain party figures, arrived to pay respects in Tehran to Khamenei. According to footage aired by Al Mayadeen, members of the delegation included Hezbollah MPs Hassan Ezzeddine and Ali Fayad, as well as deputy head of the political bureau Mahmoud Qomati and executive council chief Mohammad Fneich.
The group gathered near the coffin of Khamenei, where several members were seen emotional, with some appearing to be in tears as they paid their final respects.
Hezbollah also called Friday for a gathering in Ashura square, in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Wednesday at 9 p.m. to coincide with funeral ceremonies held for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a statement by the party. The invitation urged participation in “Lebanese and international popular gatherings” held in parallel with the official ceremonies.
In March 2026, the Lebanese government decided to expel the Iranian ambassador, citing repeated violations of diplomatic norms and Tehran's attempts to assert control over Lebanese security. The broader war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran has also severely impacted Lebanon. Following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, Hezbollah launched retaliatory attacks on northern Israel on March 2, pulling Lebanon into the regional war. Tensions spiked further when Iran attempted to tie cease-fire and peace negotiations with the U.S. and Israel directly to the Lebanon war.
