Lead
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Iran to attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on February 28, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Friday. The funeral is scheduled to begin on July 4 in Tehran and continue for approximately five days, concluding with burial in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad on July 9, according to Iranian state media.The PMO announced Sharif's departure in a post on social media platform X, saying he was accompanied by 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.
"The prime minister will express heartfelt condolences to the Iranian leadership and the bereaved families and reaffirm Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the brotherly Iranian nation in this hour of grief," the PMO said. After wrapping up his visit to Iran, Sharif will proceed to Turkiye.
Coverage comparison
The story has been reported by Dawn and the Jerusalem Post, each offering distinct but complementary details. Dawn's reports focus on the Pakistani delegation and the context of the assassination, framing the event as the aftermath of a US-Israeli strike. The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, emphasizes the international attendance at the funeral, listing representatives from China, Russia, and India, and includes details about the funeral schedule and statements from Iranian officials.Dawn describes the funeral as taking place amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US after the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding to halt the conflict. The Jerusalem Post does not mention this agreement, instead focusing on the diplomatic representation and the funeral's logistics.
Key claims
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the funeral, accompanied by a high-level Pakistani delegation, as reported by both Dawn and the Jerusalem Post.
- The funeral is slated for July 4 in Tehran, with ceremonies passing through Qom, Karbala, Najaf, and concluding with burial in Mashhad on July 9, according to Iranian state media, as cited by the Jerusalem Post.
- Senior Chinese lawmaker He Wei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will attend, as announced by the Chinese Foreign Ministry and reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev will attend as President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, according to Press TV, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- India will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Pabitra Margherita and Governor of Bihar Syed Ata Hasnain, who will visit Iran on July 3, as stated by the Indian Foreign Ministry and reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Iranians to "rise up" and "demand revenge" during a speech at the funeral, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a massive public turnout at the funeral would serve as a "decisive" response to terrorism, violence, and bullying, while demonstrating national unity, as reported by Dawn.
- The assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei occurred in a US-Israeli strike on February 28, according to Dawn. The Jerusalem Post does not specify the cause or date of his death in the provided material.
- Dawn reports that the funeral was initially delayed at the height of the Middle East war and is taking place as Iran and the US uphold a fragile ceasefire after signing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.