Iranian President Expresses Gratitude to Pakistan PM
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed his gratitude to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for attending the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran last week. In a post on X on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said, “I am grateful for the presence of my dear brother, Mr Shehbaz Sharif, and the high-ranking Pakistani delegation and the sincere sympathy of the government and people of Pakistan.”
“We will not forget this support,” added the post on the social media platform. Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran and Pakistan have always “shared each other’s tears and smiles and have stood side by side with solidarity and brotherhood.” He further wrote, “I hope that by relying on the deep bonds of brotherhood, the relations between the two countries will expand and deepen further.”
Cultural Commonalities Highlighted
Pezeshkian noted that “the martyred leader [Khamenei] was always interested in the noble government and people of Pakistan and considered cultural commonalities as the wealth of the two nations.” Khamenei was killed on Feb 28 in his compound in Tehran during a joint US-Israeli airstrike, an attack that marked the beginning of a months-long regional conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States. His death was confirmed by the Iranian government early the next day on Mar 1. The attack also caused the deaths of more than two dozen others, including Khamenei’s relatives and comrades.
Regional Conflict and Islamabad Memorandum
The conflict expanded across the Middle East, disrupting regional security and global energy markets before ending with the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, jointly mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, which established a framework for a ceasefire and follow-on negotiations.
In related developments, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari discussed the current situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, according to sources. The meeting focused on political and security matters in the regions.
