Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signs the condolence book at the Embassy of Iran after the recent killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
India formally condoled the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, after he was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book on behalf of the Indian government and met Iranian ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. “Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this afternoon,” Jaishankar posted on social media platform X without sharing more details.
Jaishankar had called Araghchi on February 28 as well, the day Khamenei was killed, and shared India’s “deep concern” at the developments in Iran and the region, calling for dialogue and diplomacy. However, India did not issue a formal statement condoling the death on that day.
Sparks criticism
Meanwhile, Russia and China were quick to condemn the airstrikes and Khamenei’s death and reacted within a day. India’s silence over the Iranian leader’s killing sparked sharp criticism from the Opposition. “When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy,” said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday in a newspaper column.
The Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Iranian Embassy comes at a time when Iran has reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that it will only allow Chinese vessels to pass through as a gesture of gratitude for Beijing’s supportive stance.
This move poses a significant challenge for India, the world’s second-largest crude importer, as the blockade threatens nearly 20 per cent of the global oil supply and places Indian energy security at risk while China maintains its maritime access.
Published on March 5, 2026