A brief moment from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Islamabad has triggered a wave of reactions online after a video showed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif walking under an umbrella while the visiting Iranian leader appeared to stand without cover in the heat.
The clip was recorded during the welcome ceremony at Nur Khan Airbase and quickly spread across social media. It appears to show Sharif being protected from the sun as Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi walked beside him without an umbrella. In the video, when Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari seems to move towards the umbrella, Sharif can be seen shifting away.
The visuals sparked criticism from several social media users, who questioned why Pakistan’s guests were left exposed while the prime minister had protection from the sun.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif refused to handover the umbrella to President Asif Ali Zardari. 🤯pic.twitter.com/0eXpcXBJlt
— Rayham. (@RayhamUnplugged) June 23, 2026
Diplomatic Visit Takes Backseat
The online controversy came during a visit that was otherwise focused on strengthening relations between Pakistan and Iran.
During meetings in Islamabad, both sides discussed expanding cooperation in trade, agriculture, security and technology. Iranian officials also showed interest in increasing imports of Pakistani meat, with discussions around sourcing a major share of their requirements from Pakistan.
The two countries also agreed to work more closely on issues such as counterterrorism and cybersecurity, while regional security and economic cooperation were key topics of discussion.
Pezeshkian also held talks with Zardari, while Araghchi joined several high-level meetings.
The visit was particularly significant as it marked Pezeshkian’s first foreign trip after the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
