BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claims Iran supported Pakistan against India during 1965-1971, netizens say 'Shah ruled then'

The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sent ripples across the world, also triggering political reactions in India. The Opposition has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led Union government over what it describes as a conspicuous silence on the assassination. 

Amid the political sparring, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey weighed in with a post on X, that said Iran had supported Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 wars against India. “Iran had given money, aircraft, and weapons to Pakistan in 1965 and 1971 to fight against us, that is, India,” he wrote.

His post cited a US intelligence memorandum titled “Recent Trends in Iranian Arms Procurement.” According to the highlighted portions of the document, “after the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, Iran acted as an arms purchasing agent for Pakistan, which was having difficulty obtaining military equipment in the West.” It further noted that “since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, there have been reports that Iran may again act as an arms purchasing agent for Islamabad if Pakistan cannot obtain Western military equipment and spare parts.”

A keyword search shows that the same memorandum is available on the website of the United States House of Representatives historian’s office, lending authenticity to the document itself.

However, several social media users were quick to point out a crucial historical detail: the period between 1965 and 1971 predates Khamenei’s leadership. During those years, Iran was ruled by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was in power from 1941 until 1979, when he fled the country during the Iranian Revolution. Khamenei only rose to prominence after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and became Supreme Leader in 1989.

Users argued that attributing Iran’s actions during the 1965 and 1971 wars to Khamenei’s regime is historically inaccurate.

One user wrote that Khamenei had, in fact, supported India in diplomatic contexts. The post said, “It was Ayatollah Khamenei who helped India to evade UN sanctions. Dubey is quoting something which was way before Khamenei rule started in Iran.”

Another pointed, "Fact Check: The claim that Iran backs Pakistan against India based on the 1965/1971 wars is historically illiterate. That support came from Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whose regime ended in 1979. The current Islamic Republic has a completely different foreign policy and has spent decades building diplomatic and trade ties with India. Stop mixing up pre-1979 history with modern reality for your hate Propaganda."

Similarly, “Between 1965 and 1971, i.e. before the Islamic Revolution, Iran was ruled by America's favorite Shah Reza Pahlavi, which means America's friend helped Pakistan,” said another user.