'Misinformed And Unacceptable': India Reacts to Iran Supreme Leader's Remarks On Minorities

India and Iran share a long history of cultural and historical interactions, with influences in art, literature, and trade extending over centuries.The two countries have engaged in substantial trade, particularly in the energy sector.

New Delhi: New Delhi on Monday refuted the remarks made by the supreme leader of Iran regarding minorities in India. In a statement, the Ministry of External affairs said, "We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the Supreme Leader of Iran. These are misinformed and unacceptable. Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before making any observations about others".

In a post on X, Iran's Supreme leader Khamenei raised the sufferings of minorities in India, Gaza and Myanmar. "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 wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

In another post on X that had no reference to India, he raised the issue of the suffering of the people of Gaza and Palestine. Khamenei said, "Achieving the important goal of upholding the Islamic Ummah’s honour can only be realized through unity. He added, "Today, it is definitely our duty to support the oppressed people of Gaza and Palestine. Anyone who neglects this duty will surely be questioned by God".

India and Iran share a long history of cultural and historical interactions, with influences in art, literature, and trade extending over centuries. The two countries have engaged in substantial trade, particularly in the energy sector. Iran has been a key supplier of oil to India, though trade dynamics have fluctuated due to geopolitical issues and international sanctions on Iran.

Both countries collaborate on regional stability and counter-terrorism efforts. They have also worked together on infrastructural projects, such as the development of the Chabahar Port in Iran, which is seen as a strategic counterbalance to the Gwadar Port in Pakistan. Their relationship has faced challenges due to Iran's strained ties with Western countries and the impact of international sanctions. India's adherence to international sanctions has sometimes complicated its relationship with Iran.

India currently has a major stake in the strategic port of Chabahar in Iran, where an Indian State-run company operates a terminal. It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Khamenei has posted on social media about the status of India’s Muslim minority or other matters related to India. In August 2019, Khamenei reacted to India's decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by expressing concern about the situation of Muslims in a post on Twitter.

“We’re concerned about Muslims’ situation in Kashmir. We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression & bullying of Muslims in this region,” he had said in his post.

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