Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has criticised the Centre for not condemning the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Writing in The Indian Express, she said silence in this case amounts to abdication, not neutrality.
Gandhi noted that Iran confirmed its Supreme Leader was assassinated in strikes allegedly carried out by the United States and Israel. She described the killing of a sitting head of state during negotiations as a grave rupture in global norms.
The Centre has urged restraint in the Middle East but has not issued a direct statement on Khamenei’s death. Government sources said India’s response aligns with major global powers and prioritises national interest. Gandhi questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for condemning Iran’s retaliation without addressing earlier strikes. She warned that failing to defend sovereignty and international law could weaken India’s diplomatic credibility.
She recalled Iran’s support in 1994 at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation over Kashmir. She also cited cooperation on Zahedan and strategic access near Gwadar. India’s ties with Israel have expanded under Benjamin Netanyahu. Gandhi argued that balanced diplomacy depends on principle, especially with nearly 10 million Indians living in the Gulf.
