India has strongly condemned recent comments made by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, concerning the treatment of Muslims in India. Khamenei’s remarks, made in a social media post on Monday, referenced the suffering of Muslims in several regions, including India, Myanmar, and Gaza. “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,” Khamenei stated.
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs sharply criticized the comments, labeling them as “misinformed and unacceptable.” A spokesperson for the ministry added, “Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before making any observations about others.”
While the two nations have typically maintained strong bilateral relations, especially with the signing of a 10-year contract in May to develop the Iranian port of Chabahar, Khamenei’s remarks have strained ties. The Chabahar port, located along Iran’s southeastern coast, is a key strategic project for India, offering a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan’s ports of Karachi and Gwadar.
This is not the first time Khamenei has criticized India over its treatment of Muslims, with past comments particularly focused on the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir, a region with a Muslim majority. Despite these political tensions, economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries has remained strong.
