FO says PM Shehbaz will attend Khamenei funeral ceremony

SHAFQAT ALI

Published Date: July 2, 2026

Published On: The Nation

 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator in US-Iran peace talks, is expected to attend a funeral ceremony for Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei over the weekend, alongside senior officials from Russia, China, India and other countries.
“Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, will go to Iran and Turkey from 3-5 July… he will go to Iran first for (the) supreme leader’s funeral,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters on Thursday. Foreign Office said PM will travel to Tehran to participate in the funeral ceremony of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, where he will convey condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan and reaffirm Islamabad’s solidarity with the Iranian nation.
Following the visit to Iran, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Istanbul at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for wide-ranging discussions on bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on expanding trade, investment and economic cooperation.
During his stay, the Prime Minister will also address a Pakistan-hosted business conference aimed at showcasing investment opportunities in special economic zones, energy, information technology and the privatisation sector before leading Turkish investors and business leaders.
On relations with India, the spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s categorical rejection of India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, describing the move as illegal, unilateral and without legal basis.
Also, Foreign Office said it has “nothing to hide” on any issue with India and would welcome constructive international engagement to promote peace and security in South Asia.
Islamabad also reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue playing a facilitative role in ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions between the United States and Iran.
Speaking at a weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan’s positions on all outstanding issues with India, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and counterterrorism, were firmly grounded in international law and the United Nations Charter.
“We have nothing to hide,” the spokesperson said, adding that Pakistan was confident of its legal and political standing and would welcome any positive role by the international community, including the United States, in advancing regional peace and stability.
The spokesperson maintained that India had consistently shied away from international engagement because its positions on key disputes could not withstand scrutiny under international law. Pakistan, he said, remained open to dialogue and any genuine peace initiative that respected international legal principles.
On the Middle East, Andrabi said Pakistan had significantly intensified diplomatic engagement with regional and international stakeholders to facilitate implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States, in line with the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Statement issued at Bürgenstock on June 21.
He said Pakistani and Qatari mediators held separate meetings with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, where “positive progress” was achieved on issues related to the Islamabad MoU, building upon understandings reached during the Lake Lucerne Summit.
The spokesperson said all parties agreed to continue negotiations, with the next round of talks expected to take place at the earliest opportunity following the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s former Supreme Leader.
While declining to disclose details of the negotiations, Andrabi described the continuation of dialogue as an encouraging sign, saying mediators remained optimistic despite strong public statements issued by the principal parties.
“The dialogue has not broken down. The process is continuing and that itself is positive,” he said, adding that Pakistan could not rule out the possibility of hosting future rounds of negotiations if required.
The spokesperson said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had remained in close contact with regional and global partners, holding telephone conversations during the week with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, China, Bahrain and Iran, as well as Britain’s Foreign Secretary and the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Earlier in the briefing, Andrabi announced that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would undertake official visits to Iran and Türkiye from July 3 to 5, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, cabinet ministers and senior officials.