India Formally Condoles Khamenei’s Death; Foreign Secretary Misri Signs Condolence Book At Iranian Embassy In New Delhi
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi on Thursday, signing the Condolence Book on behalf of the Government of India and meeting Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Fathali to formally convey condolences over the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Misri’s visit constitutes India’s first official response since the US-Israeli airstrike that killed Khamenei, marking a significant diplomatic step after New Delhi had maintained silence over his death and refrained from issuing any statement since the outbreak of the broader Middle East conflict.
The condolence book, opened at the Iranian Embassy on Thursday, drew early signatories including Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov. Condolences have been pouring in from multiple countries following Khamenei’s killing, as the US-Israeli military operation continues to escalate tensions across the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking after wide-ranging talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Thursday, called for a “swift end” to hostilities and stressed that “no issue can be resolved through military confrontation.” His remarks came as US and Israeli military operations in Iran entered their sixth day, with both sides launching fresh strikes.
Khamenei, 86, had led the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1989. He was killed in a combined US-Israeli military operation in the early hours of Saturday. While India had previously stayed silent on his death specifically, it had urged all parties involved to immediately de-escalate the conflict.