Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to undertake a diplomatic visit that begins with a significant stop in Iran, where he will attend the funeral of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 5, will see Sharif paying respects in Iran before he proceeds to Türkiye for an official engagement. This trip occurs amidst ongoing diplomatic interactions between the United States and Iran, following recent talks aimed at de-escalating regional tensions.
The funeral of Ali Khamenei is expected to draw participants from around 100 nations, as noted by Iranian officials. The gathering will feature an array of international dignitaries, including heads of state, parliamentary leaders, foreign ministers, and special envoys. Among the notable attendees are Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon and Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili. Russia will be represented by Dmitry Medvedev, the former president and current deputy chairman of the Security Council, while China’s presence will be marked by He Wei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. India will send Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita to the ceremony.
The funeral proceedings are set to commence in Tehran, where Khamenei’s body will be placed at a major religious complex before a nationwide procession. The ceremonies will culminate on July 9 in Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace in northeastern Iran, where he will be laid to rest. These events are anticipated to attract high-profile political and diplomatic figures from the Middle East and beyond.
Ali Khamenei, who became Iran’s second supreme leader in 1989, played a pivotal role in expanding the nation’s nuclear ambitions and bolstering its regional alliances through a network of allied groups. His death on February 28 came during the initial stages of a U.S.-Israeli military campaign aimed at Iran’s leadership and its strategic capabilities. Following his death, Mojtaba Khamenei has taken over as the new supreme leader.
The funeral is set against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-Iran talks, which follow a ceasefire that ended weeks of conflict. These discussions are built on a memorandum of understanding reached last month. However, Israel has opted out of these negotiations, expressing concerns that the current framework does not sufficiently address Iran’s nuclear activities, a matter that remains a focal point of regional and international scrutiny.