New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticised the union government for remaining silent on the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, asking why New Delhi had not issued a formal statement or observed parliamentary protocol following the death of the Iranian leader.
In a post on the social media platform X, Ramesh said the Indian government had not publicly reacted to the killing of Khamenei on February 28 during a joint United States–Israel strike on Iranian targets. “Ayatollah Khamenei, the constitutional head of state in Iran, was assassinated on Feb 28, 2026 by the US and Israel. The PM is silent. The EAM is silent. Parliament is yet to have an obituary reference,” he wrote.
Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989 and was the country’s highest political and religious authority, was killed in coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel during escalating hostilities in the region. Iranian state media confirmed his death soon after the attack, which targeted senior Iranian leadership in Tehran amid a wider conflict between Iran, Israel and their allies.
Ramesh also pointed out what he described as an inconsistency in the government’s response when compared with its reaction to the death of former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May 2024. “In May 2024, the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash.
The Modi Government ordered one day of mourning on May 21, 2024, and Parliament had an obituary reference on July 1, 2024, when it convened,” he said.
India had then declared a day of state mourning as a mark of respect for Raisi, reflecting the longstanding diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Tehran.
In his remarks, Ramesh also linked the issue to India’s current role in the BRICS grouping. He noted that Iran is now part of the expanded BRICS framework and that India is holding the presidency of the forum this year. “India has rightly condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf states but is completely quiet on the US-Israeli assault on Iran in the first place. It should be remembered that Iran is a part of the BRICS forum, which India holds the Presidency for this year,” he said.
Taking a direct swipe at the government, Ramesh further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reluctant to comment on the developments due to India’s relations with Washington and Tel Aviv. “Why the hesitancy now? A compromised PM no doubt wants to avoid antagonizing his American and Israeli ‘friend,’” he wrote.
The Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued a detailed statement specifically addressing Khamenei’s killing, though India has previously expressed concern over rising tensions in West Asia and called for restraint from all sides.
Khamenei’s death has triggered significant geopolitical uncertainty across the region, with Iran vowing retaliation and appointing his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader amid the ongoing conflict.
