US Senator Scott Challenges Pakistan’s Role as Iran Mediator

Scott, a vocal critic of Pakistan’s foreign policy, highlighted the nation’s history of harboring Osama bin Laden and its domestic record on religious persecution as evidence of its unsuitability for diplomatic neutrality. In a social media post, he equated Islamabad’s perceived lack of objectivity to that of Qatar, suggesting that Washington is monitoring Pakistan’s alignment with Tehran with deep skepticism.

The diplomatic friction coincides with extensive, state-sanctioned funeral rites for Khamenei, who died on February 28. Following massive processions in Tehran, mourners gathered in the holy city of Qom at the Jamkaran Mosque, where crowds chanted anti-American slogans. The events, intended to project national unity after months of civil unrest and the recent war, are set to conclude Thursday with a final burial in Mashhad.