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Senior Afghan delegation travels to Iran for funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The visit comes as Iran prepares what officials have described as the largest state funeral in the history of the Islamic Republic.

Published

3 weeks ago

July 2, 2026

Ariana News

A senior Afghan delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has travelled to Iran to attend the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to sources, the delegation includes Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Zakir Jalali, Director General of the Second Political Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Azam, head of Baradar’s office, and Haji Hikmat, head of the economic department of the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.

The visit comes as Iran prepares what officials have described as the largest state funeral in the history of the Islamic Republic. The six-day funeral, spanning multiple cities in Iran and Iraq, follows a months-long delay after Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli strikes on February 28 during the Iran-Israel conflict.

Ceremonies are set to begin at Tehran’s Mosalla prayer complex before a major funeral procession through the capital. The events will then continue in the holy city of Qom, followed by ceremonies in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. Khamenei is scheduled to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9.

Iranian authorities expect millions of mourners to participate in the ceremonies, with Tehran’s mayor estimating that around 20 million people could attend the main funeral procession in the capital. Extensive security and logistical measures have been put in place, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other security forces overseeing crowd management.

Several foreign delegations are expected to attend the funeral, including an official delegation from Pakistan, while the participation of other regional and international leaders is still being confirmed.

The Afghan delegation’s attendance underscores the continued diplomatic engagement between Kabul and Tehran, which have maintained regular high-level contacts on political, economic and regional issues. No details have been announced regarding any bilateral meetings between Afghan and Iranian officials during the visit.

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Afghan executed in Iran over alleged participation in anti-government protests

Published

1 hour ago

July 20, 2026

Ariana News

The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights has reported that Iran’s judiciary has executed Gol Mohammad Mohammadi, a 23-year-old Afghan citizen, for his alleged involvement in anti-government protests that took place in January.

According to the group, Mohammadi was executed on Sunday alongside another prisoner, Erfan Esfandiari.

Iran’s judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency said the two men had been convicted of participating in deadly attacks against security forces during the protests in Isfahan last year.

Hengaw has criticized the judicial process, alleging that the defendants were denied access to independent legal counsel during their trial.

International Sports

Spain sweep FIFA World Cup player awards after historic triumph

France captain Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot after finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 10 goals. The award marked the second time Mbappé has claimed the World Cup’s top scorer prize, further cementing his status as one of the game’s leading forwards.

Published

4 hours ago

July 20, 2026

Ariana News

Newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions Spain capped off a remarkable tournament by collecting four of the competition’s five major individual awards following their 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday’s final.

Spain midfielder Rodri was named the winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player after leading his side to a second World Cup title. The experienced midfielder produced a series of commanding performances throughout the tournament, controlling matches with his vision, passing and leadership.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove after an outstanding tournament in which Spain conceded just one goal. His consistent performances and crucial saves played a key role in his country’s title-winning campaign.

Nineteen-year-old Spain defender Pau Cubarsí was named Best Young Player after emerging as one of the stars of the tournament. The young centre-back impressed with his composure and maturity, helping Spain record one of the best defensive records in the competition.

Spain’s dominance in the individual honours reflected the team’s outstanding performances throughout the month-long tournament, with four of the five major awards going to members of the world champions.

2026 FIFA World Cup major award winners

Golden Ball (Best Player): Rodri (Spain)
Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Kylian Mbappé (France) – 10 goals
Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Unai Simón (Spain)
Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsí (Spain)

Latest News

DAB, ACGT officials discuss expanding financial cooperation

Published

7 hours ago

July 20, 2026

Ariana News

Sediqullah Khalid, First Deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), has met with Dirk Joseph Thyssen, Deputy CEO of the Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Foundation (ACGF), and his accompanying delegation.

In a statement, Da Afghanistan Bank said the meeting focused on expanding support for small credit guarantees, grant assistance, and technical cooperation with financial institutions in Afghanistan.

According to the bank, Khalid reaffirmed DAB’s commitment to strengthening the country’s financial and banking sector, saying the central bank is working to create a transparent, standardized and enabling environment to improve access to micro, small and medium-sized financing.

He also urged the Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Foundation to provide its financial services fairly and without discrimination across all regions of the country and to all relevant institutions.

For his part, Dirk Joseph Thyssen presented an overview of ACGF’s activities, achievements and future plans, and called for expanded technical cooperation with banks and financial institutions, implementation of joint programs, and the signing of cooperation agreements between the two sides.

The Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Foundation is an international development organization that supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through credit guarantee schemes for banks and financial institutions, technical assistance and capacity-building programs.

At the end of the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continued cooperation to expand financial inclusion, support the private sector and further strengthen Afghanistan’s financial and banking sector.