ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Iran to attend the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Pakistan's Foreign Office said on Thursday, as Tehran prepares state ceremonies for the country's longest-serving leader following his death earlier this year.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told a weekly media briefing that Sharif would attend the funeral on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan.
"The prime minister will attend the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and convey condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan," Andrabi said.
Iran is holding a six-day state funeral for Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Feb. 28, an attack that marked the beginning of a months-long regional conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.
The conflict expanded across the Middle East, disrupting regional security and global energy markets before ending with the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, jointly mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, which established a framework for a ceasefire and follow-on negotiations.
According to Iranian media, Khamenei's body will be returned to his hometown of Mashhad for burial on July 9 following nationwide funeral ceremonies.
Born in Mashhad on April 19, 1939, Khamenei studied Islamic theology in Mashhad, Qom and Najaf before emerging as a prominent Shia cleric and an outspoken opponent of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
He was repeatedly arrested, imprisoned and exiled before Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Following the revolution, Khamenei served as Iran's president from 1981 to 1989 before being appointed Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Khamenei remained Iran's highest political and religious authority for nearly 37 years, overseeing major political, economic and foreign policy decisions during a period marked by regional conflicts, international sanctions and shifting geopolitical alliances.
Following his death, Iran's Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country's new Supreme Leader on March 8.
PM Sharif will then travel to Istanbul at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks on bilateral relations, particularly trade and investment cooperation, Andrabi said.
During his stay in Istanbul, the prime minister will address a business conference showcasing Pakistan's trade and investment potential in special economic zones, energy, information technology and privatization sectors.
US-Iran talks in Doha
Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts to facilitate negotiations between Iran and the United States following the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, Andrabi stated.
He said that Pakistan and Qatar engaged with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, with discussions concluding early this week. The next round of talks will be scheduled after Khamenei's funeral.
Diplomatic engagements with allies
The spokesperson said that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held high-level consultations this week with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, China, Bahrain and Iran. He also engaged with the British foreign secretary and the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Indus Waters Treaty
At a seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty held in Islamabad on June 30, Pakistan rejected India's decision to place the decades-old accord in abeyance. Addressing participants, Dar called the abeyance illegal and unilateral, and said that Pakistan unequivocally rejects it.
Pakistan also rejected “baseless terrorism allegations” India used as justification for the move, Andrabi said.
Iranian crew members
The foreign office spokesperson said that 22 Iranian crew members arrived safely in Karachi, with plans for their repatriation to Iran. The total number of Iranian nationals repatriated through Pakistan has exceeded 70.
International Olive Council
Pakistan joined the International Olive Council as a permanent member during its 123rd session in Lisbon, Portugal, according to Andrabi. The council comprises 27 olive-producing member states.
