India has sharply condemned recent comments made by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei, which included India in a list of places where Muslims are suffering, alongside Gaza and Myanmar. In a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the remarks were labelled as “misinformed” and “unacceptable.” The MEA urged Iran to reflect on its record regarding minority rights before making such observations about other nations.

Khamenei’s comments were posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed. In his statement, Khamenei criticized the Islamic world for being indifferent to the suffering of Muslims globally, mentioning Myanmar, Gaza, and India. 

The Indian government responded with a detailed rebuttal, saying that countries should focus on their own issues before commenting on the internal matters of others. This is not the first time Khamenei has commented on Indian Muslim issues.

In March 2020, following the northeast Delhi riots, Khamenei referred to the violence as a “massacre of Muslims” and called on India to address the actions of “extremist Hindus and their parties” to avoid isolation from the Muslim world.

Previously, Khamenei had also expressed concerns over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, and he has criticized India for past events such as the 2002 Gujarat riots and the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition.

Khamenei’s criticisms have often been intertwined with broader geopolitical issues, including Iran’s strained relations with global powers like the United States. Despite these tensions, India and Iran have maintained diplomatic and economic relations, though such comments continue to strain this relationship.