India on Thursday expressed official condolences on the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after he was killed in joint U.S.–Israel air strikes, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveying New Delhi’s message of sympathy to the Iranian ambassador.
Misri visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and signed the condolence book on behalf of the Government of India, marking the country’s first formal reaction to the high-profile death.
The Ministry of External Affairs also released photographs of Misri’s meeting with the Iranian envoy as a gesture of respect during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989, was killed in the February 28 strikes, triggering a wave of mourning inside Iran and broader geopolitical concerns.
While India reiterated its long-standing call for dialogue and diplomatic resolution of conflicts in West Asia, the signing of the condolence book assumed added significance amid criticism from some opposition parties that the government had been slow to respond publicly. (Agency)
