Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Iran and Turkiye from July 3-5, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

PM Shehbaz will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, cabinet ministers and senior officials, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told a weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

The prime minister will first travel to Iran to attend the funeral ceremony of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Foreign Office said.

During the visit, the prime minister will convey condolences on behalf of the Pakistani government and people to Iran’s leadership and the bereaved families, while reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran, he added.

PM Shehbaz will then travel to Istanbul at the invitation of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for talks covering bilateral relations, with a focus on boosting trade and investment cooperation, as well as regional peace and security, Andrabi said.

The prime minister will also address a business conference in Istanbul, highlighting Pakistan’s trade and investment opportunities in sectors including special economic zones, energy, trade, information technology and privatisation.

The visit reflects Pakistan’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Iran and Turkiye, Andrabi said.