Florida Senator Rick Scott launched a scathing attack on Pakistan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after the latter praised Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying the country cannot be considered a credible mediator in the Middle East.
In a strongly-worded post on X, Scott urged the international community to "remember who Pakistan really is," pointing to the fact that Osama bin Laden lived in Pakistan for nearly a decade before being killed by US forces in Abbottabad in 2011.
"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 wrote.
He went on to dismiss suggestions that Islamabad could play a constructive diplomatic role in the region, adding, "They're no better qualified to mediate this than the Hamas-harboring Qataris. Islamabad should take note; we're watching closely."
Sharif's Remarks at Khamenei's Funeral
Scott's criticism came after a video shared by the Middle East Media Research Institute showed Sharif speaking at Khamenei's funeral in Tehran.
In the clip, the Pakistani Prime Minister described Khamenei as a "great scholar and leader" who would be remembered by millions of Muslims. Sharif also stressed the close relationship between Pakistan and Iran, saying the two countries would "march together under all circumstances" and calling them "brotherly nations."
Remarks Spark Reactions
Sharif's comments quickly drew attention on social media, with critics questioning his praise for Khamenei, whose decades-long rule has been widely criticized by human rights groups over crackdowns on dissent, executions, and restrictions on civil liberties.
Scott's statement adds to growing criticism from some US lawmakers over Pakistan's foreign policy posture and its ties with Iran. By invoking Pakistan's history of sheltering bin Laden alongside Sharif's recent remarks, the senator argued that Islamabad lacks the credibility to serve as a neutral mediator in ongoing Middle East tensions.
