Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Travels to Iran for Funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Iran to attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US‑Israeli strike on February 28, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Friday.

In a post on the social‑media platform X, the PMO indicated that the premier was accompanied by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto‑Zardari, PPP Secretary General Nayyer Bukhari, and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

The prime minister will convey heartfelt condolences to Iran’s leadership and the bereaved families, and will reaffirm Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the Iranian nation during this period of mourning.

The PMO added that after concluding his visit to Iran, the premier will continue on to Turkey.

Earlier, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani arrived in Tehran with a high‑level delegation to attend the funeral prayers and burial of Khamenei, according to state‑run Pakistan Television (PTV). Iranian officials received the Pakistani delegation upon its arrival.

China, Afghanistan and other neighboring Caucasian states have also announced that they will send representatives.

The funeral proceedings for the supreme leader will traverse several sites, beginning at the seat of power in Tehran and proceeding to the holy cities of Qom, Karbala, Najaf and finally Mashhad, reflecting the religious, political and ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic.

Although initially delayed amid the broader Middle East conflict, the funeral is now occurring as Iran and the United States maintain a fragile ceasefire following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding to de‑escalate hostilities.

The United States and Israel launched an operation against Iran that began with strikes assassinating the supreme leader and several members of his family — including his daughter, grandchild, son‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law — and also resulted in the deaths of other senior Iranian military officials, such as Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the supreme leader.

The public funeral is scheduled to commence on Saturday, with the leader’s body lying in state at a large complex in central Tehran that hosts major Friday prayers, official ceremonies and religious gatherings.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that a large public turnout at the late supreme leader’s funeral would constitute a “decisive” response to terrorism, violence and bullying, and would underscore national unity, according to the state broadcaster Press TV.

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