Congress delegation meets Iran envoy in Delhi, condoles Khamenei's death
What's the story
A Congress party delegation, including senior leaders Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera, visited the Iran Culture House in New Delhi on Friday. They met with the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India and expressed their condolences over the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This comes after India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signed a condolence book at the Iranian embassy on behalf of the Indian government.
Twitter Post
Congress delegation meets Iran envoy
#WATCH | Delhi | Congress leader Pawan Khera says, "We have come here on behalf of the Congress party to express our solidarity with the brave people of Iran who have upheld the legacy of Karbala. During the holy month of Ramzan, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali… pic.twitter.com/L8bQIlMQzH
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2026
Context
Khamenei's death in US-Israel attack
Khamenei, who was 86, died on February 28 in Tehran during a major military attack on Iran. The United States and Israel conducted coordinated airstrikes targeting Iranian government and military leadership locations in Tehran. One of the strikes hit the compound where Khamenei was located, killing him along with several other officials.
Diplomatic stance
India yet to condemn airstrikes
India has not directly condemned the airstrikes. Instead, it reiterated its long-standing position that the West Asia crisis should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed concern about the situation in his statement, saying, "India has always called for dialogue and diplomacy to find a solution to such disputes."
Diplomatic tensions
Strait of Hormuz closed to US, Israeli, European vessels
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have since closed the Strait of Hormuz to vessels from the United States, Israel, Europe, and their allies. Any such ship spotted in the waterway "will certainly be hit." This latest development marks a subtle shift in New Delhi's position toward Iran after years of cultivating ties with Israel under the NDA government.
Policy critique
Sonia Gandhi slams government
Congress's Sonia Gandhi had earlier criticized the government's stance, questioning its commitment to justice, restraint, and dialogue. She said, "When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defense 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."