New Delhi, September 17, 2024 – India has strongly condemned recent remarks made by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, regarding the alleged suffering of Muslims in India. The comments, made during a speech commemorating the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, have sparked a diplomatic row between the two nations.
Iran supreme leader Khamenei’s Remarks
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the plight of Muslims in various regions, including Myanmar, Gaza, and India. He emphasized that true Muslims cannot ignore the suffering of their fellow believers, stating, “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”1.
India’s Response
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly responded, labeling Khamenei’s comments as “misinformed and unacceptable.” The MEA’s official statement urged countries to examine their own human rights records before criticizing others. “We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the Supreme Leader of Iran. These are misinformed and unacceptable,” the statement read1.
The remarks come at a sensitive time for India-Iran relations, which have generally been strong, particularly in areas such as trade and strategic cooperation. India operates a terminal at Iran’s Chabahar port, a key element in its regional connectivity strategy. Despite this, Khamenei’s comments have introduced a strain, prompting India to defend its record on minority rights vigorously.
Context and Reactions
Khamenei’s remarks coincided with the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, a young Iranian woman whose demise in police custody sparked widespread protests in Iran. Thousands of Iranian women marked the anniversary by defying the mandatory hijab law1.