India Condemns Remarks of Iranian Supreme Leader to Muslims in India. In what is described as a reaction to the recent statements issued by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Indian government reacted sharply towards the speech. The speech was released on X (formerly Twitter) on the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed. It associated the plight of Indian Muslims with people in Gaza and other such places.
India’s foreign ministry described Khamenei’s comments as “unacceptable” and “infirmly based.” The Iranian leader according to a statement made by the foreign ministry made remarks regarding the minorities present in India but then went ahead to ask the world’s countries to look within their own countries before commenting on others.
We can’t think of ourselves as Muslims if we are unaware of the suffering that a Muslim is facing in Myanmar, Gaza, India, or elsewhere,” he wrote. He further added that “The enemies of Islam have always attempted to make us apathetic towards our common identity as an Islamic Ummah.”
These remarks have come at a time when tensions between Iran and Israel have increased. That has complicated diplomatic relations for India because it maintains a strategic relationship with both nations. India depends quite substantially on West Asia for a big chunk of its oil imports, while it is also nurturing a growing defense and security partnership with Israel. Iran is an important supplier of crude oil and an important regional partner, sharing with India the concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The controversy sharpens the focus of the delicate balance India needs to maintain in foreign policy: how to navigate its relationship with both Iran and Israel, and ongoing regional conflicts are unlikely to cease anytime soon.
