Congress leader questions India’s stance on Khamenei assassination
March 3, 2026: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday sharply criticised the Government of India for its silence on the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In an article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi said the absence of a clear condemnation was not neutrality but an abdication, raising serious concerns about the direction and credibility of India’s foreign policy. She argued that the killing of a sitting head of state during ongoing diplomatic negotiations marked a grave rupture in international relations.
Gandhi noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi initially condemned Iran’s retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the preceding US-Israeli attacks, and later expressed “deep concern” while urging dialogue. She cited Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of any state, asserting that targeted killings undermine global norms. The Congress leader said Parliament must debate what she termed the government’s “disturbing silence” when it reconvenes for the second half of the Budget session.
Highlighting India’s historical ties with both Iran and Israel, Gandhi recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2001 visit to Tehran as a reaffirmation of bilateral relations. She argued that India’s credibility as an independent global actor — particularly given its strategic interests and diaspora in the Gulf — depends on principled positions rather than expediency. Calling for moral clarity rooted in constitutional values and the ethos of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, Gandhi said democratic accountability and strategic clarity demand a clear articulation of India’s stance.