Khamenei Funeral: PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Asim Munir Pay Tribute to Iran’s Late Supreme Leader

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Friday, where they conveyed Pakistan’s condolences and reaffirmed solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people during a period of national mourning.

According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Shehbaz paid tribute to Ayatollah Khamenei during the ceremony and expressed condolences to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian and the Iranian people. After attending the funeral, the prime minister departed for Istanbul for an official visit to Turkiye.

Field Marshal Asim Munir also attended the ceremony before returning to Pakistan. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and other senior officials saw him off following the funeral, according to Pakistan Television (PTV).

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Ayatollah Khamenei’s body arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla on Friday, where thousands of mourners, religious scholars, senior officials and foreign dignitaries gathered to pay their final respects. Images from the ceremony showed mourners carrying a coffin draped in Iran’s national flag into one of the country’s most significant ceremonial venues.

Crowds dressed in black filled the vast complex as the coffin was placed before a backdrop decorated with red flowers and white butterflies, symbolising mourning and remembrance.

Ahmad Vahidi, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, made his first public appearance since the conflict began in February, offering prayers beside the coffin. Iranian authorities will keep Khamenei’s body at the Grand Mosalla for three days before the official public funeral.

Iran expects millions of mourners and representatives from around 30 countries to attend Saturday’s funeral ceremony. Delegations and pilgrims have also travelled from neighbouring Iraq and Afghanistan to participate in the commemorations. The bodies of Khamenei’s relatives, who were also killed in the February attack, will be present during the funeral.

The funeral programme will continue across several cities that hold religious and political significance for Iran, including Tehran, Qom, Karbala, Najaf and Mashhad.

The ceremony comes after months of regional tensions following the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei and several senior Iranian military figures, including Ali Shamkhani, during US-Israeli strikes in February. The funeral is taking place as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire following the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending hostilities.

After ceremonies in Tehran, Khamenei’s body will be transported to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before burial on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, his birthplace.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a large public turnout at the funeral would demonstrate national unity and send a strong message against terrorism, violence and external pressure.

Pakistan delegation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Tehran on a one-day visit and was received at Mehrabad Airport by Iran’s interior minister, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran and senior diplomatic officials from both countries.

The Pakistani delegation includes National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP Secretary General Nayyer Bukhari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani also travelled to Tehran with a separate high-level delegation to attend the funeral prayers and burial ceremonies.