Israel-Iran war: Why Pakistan is on edge after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death

Key Highlights

• APAs news broke of the death of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, protests and anger erupted in many parts of the world.
• In Iran itself, celebrations and mourning took place over the loss of the Supreme Leader. And away from Iran, in Pakistan too, anger erupted on the streets on Sunday (March 1) after the United States and Israel confirmed the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in coordinated air strikes on Tehran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADCatch all the latest updates from the Israel-Iran war hereThe Israel-US conflict against Iran puts Pakistan in a quandary; not only does Islamabad share ties with both the United States and Iran, it even shares a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, which pushed Donald Trump to attack Tehran. More from Explainers US-Israel attacks Iran: Will it trigger World War 3?
• Operation Epic Fury puts West Asia on edge Where is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
• Blasts heard near Iran's supreme leader's office as Israel, US target TehranAnger in Pakistan over Khamenei’s deathOn Sunday, as news emerged of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in the joint US-Israel strikes, protests erupted all across Pakistan, triggering violent clashes, arson attacks, and anti-US demonstrations in several Shia-majority regions. According to officials, 22 people have died in the ensuing clashes in Pakistan.
• Of the 22 dead, 10 died in Karachi, at least eight in Skardu, and two in the capital, Islamabad. In Islamabad, thousands gathered near the Red Zone, the heavily fortified district that houses the parliament, government offices, and foreign embassies.