Enemies of peace are trying to project Pakistan’s high-level attendance in the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as proof of partisanship while playing the role of mediator.
Pakistan and Iran are immediate neighbours bound by geography, history, faith and centuries of civilizational interaction. It is natural and only logical for Pakistan to stand with the Iranian people in a moment of national grief.
Pakistan shares a deep religious affinity with Iran. Pakistan has an estimated Shia population of 35-45 million people, making it the country with the second-largest Shia population in the world after Iran. The Ayatollah represented not only political authority but also immense religious significance for millions across the Muslim world.
Historical and cultural connections further strengthen ties between Pakistan and Iran. Persian language, literature and traditions profoundly shaped the subcontinent to the extent that Persian remained the language of the Mughal court and continues to influence Pakistan’s culture, poetry, architecture and vocabulary.
Pakistan and Iran share a 909-kilometre border and cooperate on border management, trade, energy security and regional stability. Stability in Iran is directly linked to Pakistan’s own economic interests. Any prolonged instability in Iran would have immediate security and economic implications for Pakistan.
Sending a high-level delegation reflects statecraft, not partisanship. Does Pakistan not send senior representatives to important events in other friendly countries? Respecting grief and maintaining diplomatic engagement do not compromise neutrality; it is a matter of mutual respect and empathy.
Attendance at state funerals has long been recognised as an established practice of international diplomacy. Countries routinely send heads of state, prime ministers or senior ministers to honour deceased foreign leaders irrespective of political differences.
In fact, leaders and senior officials from various countries are also attending and expressing solidarity with Iran. Delegations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Russia, China, Afghanistan, India and several other countries also travelled to Tehran to pay their respects. Several regional countries could have been drawn into the Iran war had Pakistan not acted wisely to persuade Gulf countries to exercise restraint and refrain from retaliatory action.
Historically, Pakistan has consistently worked to bring the Ummah closer together rather than deepen divisions. Through prudent diplomacy, Pakistan encouraged restraint during recent regional tensions and helped prevent wider escalation.
Pakistan’s successful facilitation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran demonstrated that effective mediation depends on maintaining channels of communication with all parties. A mediator cannot perform its role without mutual trust and continued diplomatic engagement. Attendance at the funeral, therefore, complements—not contradicts—Pakistan’s mediation role.
Pakistan’s tireless mediation efforts are not only for its own national interest but in the largest interest of the entire Middle East. Constructive ties with Muslim states showcase Pakistan’s credibility as a bridge-builder and mediator.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts also serve wider international interests. Pakistan’s engagement with Iran not only contributes to regional security and border stability but also supports its instrumental mediation role during regional crises, including efforts to de-escalate tensions that could disrupt critical maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
Stability in the Gulf helps safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil passes. Any disruption would affect global energy markets, maritime trade and international supply chains, making de-escalation a matter of worldwide concern rather than solely a regional issue.
Attempts to portray Pakistan as partisan towards Iran deliberately ignore Islamabad’s longstanding policy of maintaining balanced relations across the Muslim world. Responsible neighbourly diplomacy and humanitarian solidarity do not amount to alignment.
Pakistan’s attendance at a state funeral should therefore be viewed within this broader diplomatic tradition rather than through a narrow geopolitical lens.
