NEW DELHI: India has reacted strongly to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks on the condition of minorities in India, calling them “misinformed and unacceptable.”
“We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by Iran’s supreme leader. These are misinformed and unacceptable,” said Randhir Jaiswal, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
Jaiswal said that countries commenting on minorities in India should look within before making any observations about others.
The Iranian leader, addressing a gathering of clerics in Tehran on Monday, talked about what he described as “suffering” of Muslims in Gaza, Myanmar and India.
This is not the first time when the Iranian leader has spoken on minorities in India. In 2019, he had reacted on the Modi government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in J&K.
New Delhi and Tehran have substantial trade relations. The two sides recently signed a significant long-term agreement to operate the Shahid-Beheshti Port Termina, Chabahar.