US Senators Question Pakistan's Credibility as US-Iran Mediator

U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham have challenged the credibility of Pakistan as a mediator in ceasefire and nuclear program negotiations between the United States and Iran. The criticism followed the attendance of Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, at the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, where Sharif described Khamenei as a "great scholar and leader" and asserted that the two nations would "march together under all circumstances."

Senator Rick Scott accused Islamabad of hypocrisy, citing the country's history of sheltering Osama bin Laden and its enforcement of blasphemy laws. He suggested Pakistan is no better qualified to mediate than Qatar. Senator Lindsey Graham added that Pakistan's long-standing animosity toward Israel and the presence of Iranian military aircraft on Pakistani air bases make the country a problematic choice for mediation.

These tensions arise as Pakistan is considered a preferred location for upcoming technical-level talks between Washington and Tehran. The diplomatic friction coincides with massive funeral proceedings for Khamenei, who died on February 28 during the onset of a US-Israeli military conflict with Iran. Following processions in Tehran and Qom, further services are scheduled for Iraq and a final burial in Mashhad on Thursday.