PM Sharif, CDF Munir attend Iran's late supreme leader’s funeral ceremony

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.

Catch up: Yesterday’s top developments

• Islamabad MoU keeps US-Iran talks on track: Pakistan at UNSC
• Death toll from Israel’s assault on Gaza jumps to 73,074
• Pakistan, Saudi Arabia welcome progress
• Lebanese president says will not yield 'a single inch' of territory to Israel

Israel military says struck Hezbollah positions in south Lebanon

Published: July 3, 2026 | 16:00 GMT | by Web Desk

Israel's military said Friday it had struck several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon a day earlier in response to attacks on its troops in the area.

"The IDF struck approximately 10 Hezbollah infrastructure sites and a truck used to transfer weapons in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

Over 600,000 displaced Lebanese return home amid ceasefire: IOM

Published: July 3, 2026 | 14:30 GMT | by Web Desk

More than 640,000 displaced people in Lebanon have returned home, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have wound down following a deal to end the Middle East war.

Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks have killed around 4,300 people and displaced over one million, particularly from southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.

In a report on Thursday, the IOM said "646,107 IDPs (internally displaced persons) have begun returning to their communities", while about 500,000 other people remain displaced, based on data collected in coordination with local authorities since June 22.

PM Sharif, CDF Munir attend Iran's late supreme leader’s funeral ceremony 

Published: July 3, 2026 | 12:01 GMT | by Web Desk

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid his respects at the coffin of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday. 

He was accompanied by Chief of Defense Forces Asim Munir, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, among other officials.

Pakistan PM, Field Marshal arrive in Tehran to attend assassinated supreme leader's funeral 

Published: July 3, 2026 | 10:13 GMT | by Web Desk

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir have arrived in Tehran to attend the funeral of assassinated Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei. 

The Iranian supreme leader was assassinated in US-Israeli strikes on Feb 28. 

Pakistan has played a crucial mediatory rule in the cessation of hostilities between US and Iran, with both sides lauding country's mediatory role. 

Supreme leader's body arrives at Tehran religious complex for funeral

Published: July 3, 2026 | 08:33 GMT | by AFP

The body of Iran's supreme leader, assassinated in US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war, arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on Friday ahead of his funeral, state media reported.

Chief of Iran Guards makes first public appearance since war: media

Published: July 3, 2026 | 08:30 GMT | by AFP

The chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Ahmad Vahidi paid his respects in Tehran before the body of Ali Khamenei, his first public appearance since the start of the Middle East war, footage broadcast on Friday by Iranian media showed.

Vahidi — who has maintained a low-profile since the beginning of the war, probably to avoid being assassinated like his predecessor — laid his hand on the coffin and prayed, a photo shared by the Fars news agency showed.

Pakistan PM departs for Iran to attend Khamenei’s funeral 

Published: July 3, 2026 | 07:59 GMT | by Web Desk

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Iran on a one-day visit to attend the funeral of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei. 

According to a post on the Prime Minister’s Office X account, PM Sharif will visit Iran to attend the funeral, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and several others.

The prime minister will participate in the funeral rites in Tehran. 

“On behalf of the Pakistani people and government, the Prime Minister will express heartfelt condolences to the Iranian leadership and the bereaved families,” the statement said, reaffirming Islamabad’s “complete solidarity” with Tehran.

“The Prime Minister will proceed from Tehran to Istanbul for his bilateral visit to Turkey,” the PMO said.

Separately, Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani also arrived in Tehran along with a high-level delegation to attend the funeral prayer. 

Israel planned to assassinate Iranian negotiators: Report

Published: July 3, 2026 | 05:35 GMT | by Web Desk

The New York Times and The Washington Post report that US officials believed Israel was planning to assassinate Iranian negotiators earlier this year, during talks aimed at ending the fighting between Washington and Tehran, Al Jazeera reported. 

Officials, speaking to both news outlets on condition of anonymity, said Israel had set its sights on assassinating Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the country’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the speaker of Iran’s parliament.

“You kill those folks, and you’re killing the pragmatists,” one US official told The Washington Post.

Officials who spoke to The New York Times said the US asked countries in the Middle East to warn Iran of the risk.

Israel has a track record of targeting negotiating counterparts in an apparent effort to derail talks to end regional conflicts.

In October, the Israeli military carried out an attack in Doha, targeting a Hamas compound while officials from the group were studying a ceasefire proposal with Israel.

Two injured in Israeli drone strike on vehicle in southern Lebanon

Published: July 3, 2026 | 05:15 GMT | by Web Desk

An Israeli drone targeted a vehicle overnight in the town of Seddiqine, located in the Tyre District, Al Jazeera reported quoting National News Agency. 

A second strike on the same location followed shortly afterward. The report said that the back-to-back strikes injured two people.

Jerusalem Governorate reports 11 Palestinians killed in first half of year

Published: July 3, 2026 | 05:05 GMT | by Web Desk

11 Palestinians were killed in the Jerusalem Governorate during the first half of 2026, amid Israeli military field executions and increasing attacks by armed settlers, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Wafa News Agency.

According to the governorate, cited by Wafa, three of those killed died in attacks by Israeli settlers, while eight were fatally shot by Israeli forces. 

Officials also reported that 866 Palestinians were arrested during the same period, including 35 children and 21 women.

Israeli soldier ‘seriously injured’ in  Lebanon

Published: July 3, 2026 | 05:01 GMT | by Web Desk

The Israeli military said one of its soldiers was seriously wounded during what it described as an “encounter” in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera. 

In a statement posted on X, the military said the soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment and that his family had been informed.

Islamabad MoU keeps US-Iran talks on track: Pakistan at UNSC

Published: July 2, 2026 | 20:37 GMT | by Web Desk

Pakistan has described the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as "a victory of robust and determined diplomacy," telling the UN Security Council that the agreement continues to provide a framework for dialogue between the United States and Iran. 

Addressing an emergency meeting of the Security Council, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the Islamabad MoU reflected Pakistan's longstanding belief that regional conflicts could only be resolved through diplomacy, dialogue and negotiations.

"The conclusion of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America reflects a victory of robust and determined diplomacy," Ahmad said.

He said Pakistan's mediation efforts were driven by a commitment to regional and global peace, aimed at "saving lives, de-escalating the situation and opening the space for structured dialogue leading to an enduring mutual understanding and a final deal."

Ahmad added that Pakistan's leadership remained engaged with the negotiating parties, regional partners and other countries to sustain diplomatic momentum under the agreement.

"From our perspective, the fact that the talks are continuing and the parties are on the negotiating table is a significant positive outcome," he said.

"We continue to facilitate dialogue and confidence building measures to prevent any escalation, and to sustain the diplomatic engagement."

He also said communication channels between the parties remained open, with Pakistan continuing its efforts to promote peace and stability across the region.

"The channels of communication remain open, and we are persisting in our efforts geared towards ushering peace, security and tranquility that benefits the entire region and all countries without exception," Ahmad said.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan's condemnation of attacks on Gulf states, saying Islamabad had consistently opposed the use of force outside the framework of international law. 

"Pakistan has been categorically condemning attacks against the GCC countries and once again expresses its full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Bahrain and Kuwait," he said, warning that any further escalation could have grave consequences for regional and international peace and security.

The ambassador thanked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and China for supporting Pakistan's mediation efforts, reiterating that dialogue remained the only sustainable path to lasting peace in the region.

Death toll from Israel’s assault on Gaza jumps to 73,074

Published: July 2, 2026 | 18:37 GMT | by Web Desk

The death toll from Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has risen to 73,074 Palestinians, with another 173,537 people wounded, Wafa reports, citing medical sources in the Gaza Strip, Al-Jazeera reported.

In just the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza have received four deaths and 12 injury cases, according to Al-Jazeera.

For earlier developments, read our July 2 live blog here