Congress leader Sonia Gandhi criticised the government for what she described as its “silence” on the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a departure from India’s diplomatic legacy. However, Khamenei’s own record included multiple public interventions on sensitive Indian domestic issues, often drawing strong responses from New Delhi.
Khamenei’s Remarks on India
In 2017, Khamenei urged the Muslim world to support what he termed the “oppressed Muslims of Kashmir,” echoing language similar to Pakistan’s position on the issue.
After India revoked Article 370 in August 2019, he called on India to adopt what he described as a “just policy” on Kashmir. In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the Iranian envoy and rejected the comments as interference.
In March 2020, following the Delhi riots, Khamenei tweeted that India should “confront extremist Hindus,” labelled the violence a “massacre of Muslims,” and warned of India’s potential isolation from the Islamic world, using the hashtag #IndianMuslimsInDanger. The MEA again summoned Iran’s ambassador, objecting to his remarks.
Earlier that year, Iran’s parliament speaker criticised the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), describing it as discriminatory. India rejected those comments as interference in its internal matters.
In September 2024, Khamenei posted a message placing India alongside Myanmar and Gaza in a comparison that was viewed by millions. The MEA described the remarks as “misinformed and unacceptable.”
Between 2019 and 2024, such statements led to repeated diplomatic protests from India, with Iranian envoys summoned on multiple occasions.
Broader Regional Context
Iran has also been involved in regional military escalations, including missile and drone strikes targeting countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE — both key strategic partners of India and home to more than nine million Indian nationals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with leaders across the Gulf, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, expressing concern over the situation and thanking them for ensuring the safety of Indian citizens. India has reiterated its position in favour of restraint, dialogue and de-escalation.
Following Khamenei’s death, international reactions were divided. Of the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, fewer than ten publicly expressed condolences. Countries such as the United States, Israel, Argentina and Ukraine welcomed the development, while Russia, China, North Korea and several Islamic nations including Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia and Turkey condemned the strikes or offered condolences.
In India, the MEA spokesperson called for restraint and dialogue.
India’s Past Voting Record on Iran
Government sources have also pointed out that during the Congress-led UPA government (2004–14), India voted against Iran three times at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — in 2005, 2006 and 2009 — during negotiations surrounding the India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement.
2005: India supported Resolution GOV/2005/77, finding Iran in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement. Tehran reportedly warned of consequences for economic ties.
2006: India voted to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.
2009: India again supported a resolution criticising Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, the same year the India-US nuclear deal was concluded.
2022: Under the NDA government, India abstained on a similar IAEA resolution concerning Iran’s nuclear programme.
Over the years, India has maintained that sovereign nations determine their foreign policy decisions based on national interest. Meanwhile, Khamenei’s repeated public comments on Kashmir, Article 370, the CAA and the Delhi riots consistently prompted diplomatic objections from New Delhi, which viewed them as interference in domestic affairs.
