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 Khamenei’s killing 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 involving Iran,
Israel and their allies.
Ramesh also pointed to what he described as inconsistency in the
government’s response 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 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 longstanding diplomatic ties between India and
Iran.
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 holds 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. However, Foreign Secretary Vikram
Misri had on March 5 signed the condolence book at the Embassy of Iran
in Delhi on behalf of the Government of India offering condolences on
Khamenei’s death.