Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday to join global dignitaries for the funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The high-profile delegation underscores the deep ties between the two neighboring nations during a period of profound mourning and geopolitical sensitivity.
The Pakistani leadership, which also includes PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is participating in elaborate funeral ceremonies alongside representatives from around 30 countries. Iran has commenced several days of commemorations for Khamenei, a towering figure in the Islamic Republic who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.
A Solemn Arrival and Diplomatic Reception
Field Marshal Asim Munir was received by Iranian officials and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who had already arrived in the capital. Shortly after, Prime Minister Shehbaz was welcomed at Mehrabad Airport by Iran’s interior minister, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran, and senior diplomatic officials from both countries.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the visit is a one-day mission to participate in the funeral rites and personally convey Pakistan’s condolences to the Iranian leadership. The prime minister is expected to reaffirm Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Iranian people during what the government described as a time of national grief. Following the funeral events, Shehbaz is scheduled to travel onwards to Turkiye for a bilateral visit.
Inside the Grand Mosalla: A Nation Bids Farewell
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei’s body arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, where mourners, clerics, government officials, and dignitaries gathered to pay their final respects. Images from the ceremony showed his coffin, draped in the Iranian tricolour, being carried into the vast complex before being placed against a backdrop decorated with red flowers and white butterflies.
The Grand Mosalla has been meticulously prepared to host mourning ceremonies over three days, with banners displaying Khamenei’s images and quotations adorning the venue. Millions of mourners are expected to attend Saturday’s official funeral ceremony. Among those seen at the event was Ahmad Wahidi, head of the Revolutionary Guards, making his first public appearance since the outbreak of the conflict in February. The bodies of Khamenei’s family members are also expected to be present during the official rites.
The funeral programme extends far beyond the capital, with ceremonies planned in the holy cities of Qom, Najaf, and Karbala before Khamene is laid to rest on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, his birthplace.
Geopolitical Context and a Fragile Ceasefire
The funeral had initially been delayed during the Middle East conflict and is now taking place as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire following the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending hostilities. Iranian officials say Khamenei was killed alongside several members of his family, including his daughter, grandchild, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law, during the opening strikes of the conflict. Other senior figures, including Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the supreme leader, were also killed.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that a massive public turnout at the would send a decisive message against terrorism, violence, and bullying while reflecting national unity.
Pakistan’s Full Delegation of Solidarity
The Pakistani delegation accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz is notably comprehensive. It includes National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP Secretary General Nayyer Bukhari, and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
In a parallel gesture of respect, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani also reached Tehran earlier in the day with a separate high-level delegation to attend the funeral prayers and ceremonies. He was received by Iranian officials upon arrival, further cementing the cross-party expression of condolence from Islamabad.
