NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi on Thursday to sign the condolence book following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a symbolic gesture that comes amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Misri met Iran’s Ambassador to India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, at the embassy and conveyed condolences on behalf of the Government of India.
During the interaction, Ambassador Fathali sharply criticised the United States over recent developments in the Indian Ocean.
“Americans have broken the negotiating table,” he said, referring to escalating tensions following a reported maritime incident involving an Iranian naval vessel.
The remarks came soon after Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of sinking an Iranian frigate near Sri Lanka earlier this week. In a post on X, Araghchi said Washington had set a dangerous precedent.
“The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning,” Araghchi wrote.
“Mark my words: the US will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,” he added.
According to Iranian officials, the vessel involved was the IRIS Dena, which Tehran said was operating in international waters in the Indian Ocean at the time of the strike.
The statement by Araghchi marks the first high level acknowledgement by the Iranian government regarding the alleged sinking of the warship.
India has not publicly commented on the maritime incident.
India and Iran share long standing civilisational ties and strategic cooperation in areas including connectivity, energy and regional security.
With tensions rising across the region and accusations flying between Tehran and Washington, the developments have added a new layer of uncertainty to the already fragile security dynamics in the wider Indian Ocean and West Asian region.