ISLAMABAD: "We will not forget this support," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday as he thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan for attending the state funeral of assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing the visit as another reflection of the longstanding ties between the two neighboring countries.
In a message posted on X after the funeral ceremonies, Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for the presence of "my dear brother, Mr. Shehbaz Sharif and the high-ranking Pakistani delegation," as well as the condolences conveyed on behalf of Pakistan's government and people.
"We will not forget this support," the Iranian president wrote.
The message came days after PM Sharif traveled to Mashhad to attend the state funeral of Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Feb. 28, and personally conveyed Pakistan's condolences to Iran's leadership during the six-day mourning ceremonies.
The public acknowledgment also followed months of close coordination between Islamabad and Tehran during the regional conflict, with Pakistan repeatedly condemning attacks on Iran, calling for dialogue over military escalation, and working alongside regional partners, including Qatar, to help facilitate diplomacy that culminated in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that lasting regional stability can only be achieved through negotiations and mutual respect.
Pezeshkian said Iran and Pakistan had "always shared each other's tears and smiles and have stood side by side with solidarity and brotherhood."
"I hope that by relying on the deep bonds of brotherhood, the relations between the two countries will expand and deepen further," he said.
The Iranian president also said the late Supreme Leader "was always interested in the noble government and people of Pakistan" and regarded the cultural ties between the two countries as "the wealth of the two nations."
Pakistan was among a small group of countries whose leaders received individual messages of appreciation from Pezeshkian following the funeral. The Iranian president also thanked the leaders of Turkmenistan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Georgia for attending the state ceremonies.