'Where Bin Laden Hid': US Senator Slams Pakistan PM Sharif For Attending Khamenei Funeral

Pakistan's involvement as a mediator in the current ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran has drawn harsh criticism from US Senator Rick Scott, who has accused the nation of "hypocrisy" and "playing a double role." The warning came after a widely shared video showed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praising Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at his official funeral in Tehran.

Scott questioned Pakistan's capacity as a mediator in the ongoing diplomatic process between the United States and Iran in a post on X, citing the nation's conflicting behaviour.

"We need to remember who Pakistan really is in the middle of all this. We're talking about a country where bin Laden hid out for a decade, where they selectively enforce lopsided blasphemy laws to persecute Christians, and where the Prime Minister just praised the genocidal mass murdering tyrant that used to run Iran," Scott posted.

"They're no better qualified to 'mediate' this than the Hamas-harboring Qataris. Islamabad should take note; we're watching closely," Scott added.

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We need to remember who Pakistan really is in the middle of all this.

We're talking about a country where bin Laden hid out for a decade, where they selectively enforce lopsided blasphemy laws to persecute Christians, and where the Prime Minister just praised the genocidal mass… https://t.co/7SRIGGwyI1

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) July 6, 2026

Scott's comments followed Sharif's trip to Tehran for Khamenei's funeral. The Pakistani prime minister honoured the late Iranian leader during the event, calling him "a great scholar and leader whom millions of Muslims will remember" and stating that "Pakistan and Iran will march together under all circumstances."

Black-clad mourners lined the streets of Tehran as the funeral procession drew sizable numbers. In what the Iranian government portrayed as a demonstration of togetherness, Khamenei's flag-draped coffin and those of his family members who were killed in an airstrike at the beginning of the conflict between Israel and the United States were taken through the country's capital.

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The events occur while attempts to resume talks between Washington and Tehran are still on hold. After Khamenei's funeral, negotiations on a long-term solution are expected to resume. The Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear program, and other regional security concerns remain major points of contention.

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