ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday attended the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran and paid their respects.

PM Shehbaz, along with his delegation, attended the funeral at the invitation of Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian.

The prime minister was accompanied by a high-level Pakistani delegation comprising Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office.

The statement said the premier paid “rich tribute” to the late supreme leader.

He also expressed solidarity with Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, President Pezeshkian and the people of Iran in their moment of “national grief”.

A parliamentary delegation led by Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, along with members of parliament and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, also attended the funeral alongside PM Shehbaz.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir arrived in Tehran separately.

A post on the Prime Minister’s Office X account said the premier was received at Mehrabad Airport by Iran’s interior minister, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran and senior diplomatic officials from both countries.

The post said the premier was on a one-day visit to Iran, during which he would participate in Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral rites.

“The prime minister will express heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Pakistani people and government to the Iranian leadership and bereaved families, and reaffirm Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the brotherly Iranian nation in this hour of grief,” it added.

Field Marshal Munir was received by Iranian officials and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was already in Tehran.

During the visit, CDF Munir met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

He paid rich tribute to the services of the late supreme leader during the meeting.

Field Marshal Munir later departed for Pakistan. He was seen off by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and senior Iranian officials.

Following the ceremony, PM Shehbaz travelled to Istanbul on a bilateral visit to Turkiye at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two sides are expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and regional security.

The PM’s Office said Mr Dar and Mr Tarar were also accompanying the prime minister during the visit.

PM Shehbaz and President Erdogan are expected to place particular emphasis on expanding cooperation in trade and investment while exploring new avenues for economic collaboration.

Other world leaders

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed El Khereiji and his delegation also paid their respects to the late supreme leader, Iranian media reported.

Afghanistan’s foreign minister in the Taliban government, Amir Khan Muttaqi, also paid his respects at the coffin of the late supreme leader in Tehran on Friday.

His tribute came just hours after that of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the head of a key anti-Taliban group whose father was backed by Iran in the 1990s.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Iraqi President Nizar Amidi and an Omani delegation also arrived in Tehran to attend the funeral.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain also reached Tehran and visited the main prayer hall to pay their final respects.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, whose country maintains close ties with Iran, also paid his respects at the coffin of the late supreme leader.

Medvedev, described by state television as a “special emissary of Russian President Vladimir Putin”, was received by President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi.

With input from Agencies / Monitoring Desk

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2026