Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and former head of the High Council for Peace Dr. Abdullah Abdullah have expressed sorrow over the reported killing of Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The United States and Israel reportedly carried out joint attacks on several Iranian cities on Saturday.

Reports indicate that the attacks resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and other high-ranking officials.

On his X account, Karzai expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the Iranian government and people.

He wrote: “I appreciate the continued support of the people of Afghanistan for him (Khamenei) and express my solidarity with the noble people of Iran. I pray for paradise for the martyrs and wish peace, security, and prosperity for our friend and brother country, Iran.”

Abdullah, on his Facebook page, said: “With great sorrow, the martyrdom of Iran’s leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, some of his family members and associates, and the recent martyrs has caused us deep grief.”

He prayed to Allah for patience, endurance, and great reward for the victims’ families and the Iranian people.

Former US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has criticised Pakistan’s military leadership, saying it fundamentally misreads Afghanistan and wrongly assumes it can force Kabul to accept its demands through military pressure.

Khalilzad stated: “Pakistan’s demands from Afghanistan are so unreasonable that even the government of Pakistan is embarrassed to articulate them.”

His remarks come amid renewed tensions following Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory, which Kabul has condemned as violations of its sovereignty.

Khalilzad, who served as Washington’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation and played a central role in negotiations leading to the 2020 Doha agreement between the United States and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, argued that the current trajectory risks deepening instability in both countries.

He maintained that coercion would not produce lasting security outcomes.

According to Khalilzad, regional security threats are mutual and require coordinated responses rather than unilateral action.

Tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have escalated in recent months over accusations that armed groups operate from each other’s territory. Pakistan has repeatedly blamed Afghan-based militants for attacks inside its boundaries, while Afghan authorities have accused Pakistan of breaching international norms through  strikes.

Khalilzad said diplomacy remains the most viable path forward. He noted that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has expressed readiness to reach a bilateral understanding that would prevent either country’s territory from being used against the other.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is ready to reach an agreement with Pakistan to prevent the use of each country’s territory against the other,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Khalilzad described Pakistan as responsible for the latest escalation and urged both sides to return to dialogue, stressing that sustained diplomatic engagement — rather than force — offers the best chance of reducing tensions and promoting regional stability.