India has sharply criticized remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, regarding the treatment of Muslims in the country, calling his comments “misinformed and unacceptable.”
In a post on social media on Monday, Khamenei included India in a list of countries where, he suggested, Muslims face suffering. “We cannot consider ourselves Muslims if we are indifferent to the suffering of Muslims in Myanmar, Gaza, India, or elsewhere,” he said.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded swiftly, saying it “strongly deplored” the comments. A spokesperson for the ministry advised countries “to examine their own records on the treatment of minorities before making any observations about others.”
Despite this diplomatic clash, India and Iran have generally maintained a robust relationship. The two nations signed a 10-year contract in May to develop and operate the strategically important Chabahar Port on Iran’s southeastern coast along the Gulf of Oman. The port is central to India’s efforts to facilitate trade with Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, while bypassing Pakistan.
However, Khamenei has previously voiced concerns over India’s treatment of its Muslim population and the ongoing tensions in the disputed, Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.
While the latest comments may stir tensions, the broader geopolitical and economic ties between the two nations remain significant.
