PM Shehbaz congratulates Mojtaba Khamenei, pledges closer cooperation with Iran

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday wrote a letter congratulating Mojtaba Khamenei on assuming responsibilities as Iran’s new supreme leader and pledged closer cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.

Iran appointed Mojtaba as the country’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in US and Israeli air strikes on Tehran earlier this month.

The announcement was made shortly after midnight on Sunday in Tehran by the Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme authority. In a statement, the assembly said it had chosen Mojtaba by a decisive vote as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the prime minister wrote a letter to the new Iranian supreme leader and extended condolences on the death of his father.

“The people of Pakistan are deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and stand in solidarity with the leadership and people of Iran during this difficult time,” the prime minister said.

The statement said the premier expressed hope that Mojtaba’s leadership would guide Iran towards “peace, stability, dignity and prosperity” in the years ahead.

The PMO said PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continue working closely with the Islamic Republic of Iran to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest for the benefit of the two countries.

“In his letter, the prime minister also prayed for Mojtaba’s health and success, and for peace, stability and prosperity for the people of Iran,” the statement said.

The prime minister reiterated his sentiments in a post on X later. 

“I am confident that the new supreme leader would guide Iran towards peace, stability and prosperity, in the years ahead.”

President Asif Ali Zardari also conveyed his good wishes to Mojtaba following his elevation, the President’s Secretariat said.

President Zardari extended his greetings to Iran’s new leader and expressed hope for stability in the region amid ongoing tensions.

He expressed hope that the situation would stabilise and that conditions would improve for the people of the region.