Xi Jinping sends He Wei to attend Khamenei funeral in Tehran

China said a senior political envoy will travel to Tehran for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral, a move that underscores Beijing’s close ties with Iran and its interest in regional diplomacy.

He Wei, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, will attend the July 3 funeral as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. The announcement was reported on July 2.

Why the visit matters

The choice of envoy is significant. Sending a vice-chairman of the National People’s Congress signals that Beijing is treating the funeral as a high-level political event, not just a diplomatic formality.

China has cultivated deep ties with Iran over several years. The two countries signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement in 2021, and China remains one of Iran’s largest trading partners as well as a major buyer of sanctioned Iranian oil.

Beijing has also tried to present itself as a regional broker. In 2023, it helped restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, adding to its efforts to position itself as an influential power in Middle Eastern affairs.

What China has said

Mao did not say whether He Wei would hold bilateral meetings during the trip. She also did not say whether Xi Jinping would issue a separate condolence message or receive Iranian representatives after the funeral.

That leaves open the extent of any side diplomacy in Tehran, where the funeral is expected to draw political and religious leaders from across the region.

The report says Khamenei died in late February 2026 after a joint Israel-American bombardment. The funeral in Tehran is scheduled for July 3.

What to watch next

Questions remain about whether He Wei meets Iranian leaders privately, whether other major powers send comparable senior envoys and whether Xi issues any additional public message after the funeral.

For now, China’s decision to send a special representative suggests it wants to be visibly present at one of Iran’s most consequential political gatherings of the year.