Hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said true Muslims cannot ignore the “suffering” of Muslims in Myanmar, Gaza, and India, the ministry of external affairs condemned his remarks as “misinformed and unacceptable”.
Countries commenting on minorities in India should first review their own records before making observations about others, said external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
“We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the supreme leader of Iran. These are misinformed and unacceptable,” added Randhir Jaiswal.
He advised that countries commenting on minorities should first examine their own records before making observations about others.
The two countries have traditionally enjoyed a strong relationship and signed a 10-year contract in May to develop and operate the Iranian port of Chabahar.
India has been developing the port of Chabahar on Iran’s southeastern coast along the Gulf of Oman to transport goods to Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, bypassing the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan.
Reacting to Khamenei’s statement, Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, labeled him a “killer and oppressor” of his own people.
“@khamenei_ir you are a killer and oppressor of your own people. Muslims in Israel, India and all democracies enjoy freedom, which is denied in Iran. I wish the people of Iran will be free soon,” wrote Azar.
you are a killer and oppressor of your own people. Muslims in 🇮🇱, 🇮🇳 and all democracies enjoy freedom, which is denied in Iran. I wish the people of 🇮🇷 will be free soon.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously criticized India over issues involving Indian Muslims and the troubled Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.
The Iranian leader, addressing a gathering of clerics in Tehran on Monday, spoke about what he described as the “suffering” of Muslims in Gaza, Myanmar, and India.
“The enemies of Islam have always tried to make us indifferent with regard to our shared identity as an Islamic Ummah. We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in #Myanmar, #Gaza, #India, or any other place,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter) as part of series of posts on the event.
The remarks were made against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, a situation that has caused unease in New Delhi.
India maintains close relations with both countries, balancing its strategic ties with Israel—particularly in defense and security—with its reliance on West Asia for 80 percent of its oil supply.
