PAKISTAN PERSPECTIVE

Islamabad, July 4, 2026. Pakistan has sent its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defense Forces Chief Asim Munir to the national funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 3 and 4. This high-ranking delegation reflects Islamabad's ambition to establish itself as a key player in regional stabilization following the conflict that claimed the life of Iran's Supreme Leader.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in Israeli-American strikes on his compound in central Tehran on February 28, 2026. His body has been on display at the Grand Mosalla complex since Friday, ahead of a funeral procession that will conclude on July 9 with his burial in Mashhad, his hometown. Ceremonies are also planned in Qom and Iraq, in Karbala and Najaf. Iranian authorities expect 15 to 20 million participants, which would make this the largest funeral in the country's history.

Pakistan's presence is part of a unique diplomatic context: the ceasefire that ended the conflict was formalized in what is referred to as the "Islamabad memorandum," signed in the Pakistani capital. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that PM Shehbaz is attending the funeral to "convey condolences on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan" and "reaffirm solidarity with the fraternal nation during this time of profound mourning." Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as well as other cabinet members, accompanied the prime minister.

On the security front, Iranian Commander Ali Abdollahi (Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters) issued a warning to the United States and Israel: "Avoid any miscalculation and consider the severe retaliation our armed forces would inflict on any threat to our country." Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran are being held simultaneously in Doha. Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on Iranians to flood the streets of Tehran to "write a glorious page in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

The issue of succession is subtly underlying the ceremonies: Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader's son, has been designated as the third Supreme Leader, according to The Express Tribune. Ayatollah Mohammad Saidi, Friday prayer imam of Qom, described the funeral mobilization as a "referendum for the Islamic Republic." Ahmad Vahidi, chief of the Revolutionary Guards, made his first public appearance since the start of the conflict during the ceremonies, a detail noted by Dawn.

Following the ceremonies, PM Shehbaz traveled to Istanbul for a visit to Turkey focused on bilateral trade and investment, marking the continuation of an intensified regional diplomatic tour.