ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other Pakistani leaders attended the pre-funeral ceremony of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Friday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz and members of the Pakistani delegation arrived in the Iranian capital to participate in the funeral ceremonies.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir had earlier reached Tehran, where he was received by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also arrived in Tehran ahead of the funeral to pay tribute to the late Iranian leader.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz was received at Mehrabad Airport by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Imran Ahmed Siddiqui and senior diplomatic officials from both countries.
The prime minister conveyed the condolences of the government and people of Pakistan to the Iranian leadership and the bereaved families. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the people of Iran during their time of mourning.
The Pakistani delegation includes National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other parliamentarians.
Ayatollah Khamenei, who served as Iran’s supreme leader for 37 years, was killed at the age of 86 in missile strikes on his residential and office compound in central Tehran on February 28, the first day of the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Several members of his family, including his daughter and two grandchildren, were also reportedly killed.
His funeral, originally planned for early March, was postponed because of the conflict and rescheduled after a fragile ceasefire between Tehran and Washington came into effect.
Head of the organising committee Ali-Akbar Purdjamschidian said the six-day funeral programme was aimed at strengthening national cohesion and unity across Iran’s political, religious and social groups.
Following the funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to travel to Istanbul for an official bilateral visit to Türkiye.
