Addressing a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that he will be undertaking a visit to Tehran next week to pay his respects to the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, as well as to reaffirm Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran.

The premier also expressed Pakistan’s “heartfelt condolences” over the loss of lives in Iran, including that of the late Ayatollah Khamenei, whom he called “a great visionary leader” respected by the whole Muslim world.

“The people of Pakistan share the grief of our Iranian brothers and sisters and stand in complete solidarity with the people of Iran,” PM Shehbaz said. “Your happiness is our happiness; your sorrow is our sorrow.”

He thanked the Iranian president for visiting Pakistan and for the “warmth and sincerity that he and his delegation have brought with them”.