Iran10 March, 20263 min read
President Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif Congratulate Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei As Iran's Supreme Leader
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his election and appointment Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif voiced confidence the new leader would guide Iran toward peace
Official congratulations
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as Iran’s Supreme Leader, with both leaders expressing hopes for regional stability and prosperity in messages issued on March 10. News18 reported Shehbaz Sharif’s congratulatory message on X, saying “I congratulate His Eminence Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his assumption of the responsibilities of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and added that the prime minister was confident Mojtaba Khamenei would “guide Iran towards peace, stability and prosperity.”
“I congratulate His Eminence Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his assumption of the responsibilities of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran,’ Sharif wrote on X. ‘I am confident that the new Supreme Leader would guide Iran towards peace, stability and prosperity, in the years ahead.”
dailyindependent.pk noted that “President Asif Ali Zardari has conveyed his good wishes to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei on his election and appointment as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and highlighted Zardari’s expressed hope for stability in the region. Dunya News likewise reported that “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as the new supreme leader of Iran, expressing hope that he will guide the country toward peace, stability and prosperity.”
Sharif’s condolence and ties
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s messages combined condolence and an emphasis on bilateral ties: his office expressed sorrow at the reported death of Ali Khamenei and framed Pakistan–Iran relations as rooted in shared faith, history and culture while pledging closer cooperation. Dunya News reported that the prime minister “offered condolences on the martyrdom of his father, Ali Khamenei” and “highlighted the long-standing ties between Pakistan and Iran, describing their relationship as rooted in shared faith, history, culture and language.”
News18 recorded Sharif’s public post expressing confidence in Mojtaba Khamenei’s ability to guide Tehran and repeated the pledge of working for peace and prosperity. dailyindependent.pk also captured Pakistan’s emphasis on stability, noting hopes that conditions in the region would improve.
Zardari’s message
President Zardari’s statement was shorter but echoed the stability theme and goodwill toward Iran, with his office issuing “good wishes” and urging improved conditions for people across the region. dailyindependent.pk reported that Zardari “extended congratulations and expressed hope for stability in the region,” and that he “noted that the region is currently facing serious tensions and conflict, adding that improving conditions for the people of the region is vital.” News18 likewise noted Zardari’s congratulations and good wishes, and Dunya News recorded the overall tone of Pakistan standing in solidarity with Iran during a difficult time.
“In a message issued on Tuesday, the president extended congratulations and expressed hope for stability in the region.”
Diplomatic balancing act
At the same time, some outlets and intelligence sources framed Pakistan’s statements as part of a delicate balancing act between regional ties and relations with the United States. News18 quoted unnamed intelligence sources saying Pakistan’s congratulatory messages “exposed Pakistan’s tendency to take American aid and political cover, and simultaneously sustaining ties with Iran as part of a classic double game,” and that Islamabad was “managing a delicate balancing act.” Dunya News and dailyindependent.pk emphasised Pakistan’s wish to strengthen cooperation while also flagging regional tensions, reflecting the dual diplomatic signals in Islamabad’s public messaging.
Death and risks
The statements came amid reporting on the reported killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and broader warnings of reprisal, which Pakistani leaders referenced in condolence language. Dunya News said “Last Sunday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei embraced martyrdom in a major attack by Israel and the United States, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability,” and added that “State media reported that the 86-year-old died in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran.”
“Last Sunday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei embraced martyrdom in a major attack by Israel and the United States, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability.”
News18 similarly described Mojtaba as the “son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israeli strikes on February 28,” and reported that Iran had warned of retribution. dailyindependent.pk framed the moment as one of serious regional tensions and reiterated Pakistan’s hope that conditions would stabilise.