<p>NEW DELHI: Amid criticism from Opposition parties over India's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Union government finally offered its condolences on Thursday, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signing the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy here.</p>.<p>Separately, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, discussing the evolving situation in West Asia.</p>.<p>Though what transpired between them is not known, it was the second phone conversation between the two foreign ministers since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran.</p>.<p>Six days after Khamenei was killed in a joint strike on Tehran by the US and Israel, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy and signed the condolence book on the Union government's behalf, in what is being seen by many as a sign of a subtle shift in New Delhi's position on the conflict.</p>.'Do not remain silent': Iranian Embassy in India issues plea after Khamenei's death.<p>Misri also held a brief conversation with Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali. He also met Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, who also visited the embassy to sign the condolence book.</p>.<p>Unlike in May 2024, when Jaishankar visited the Iranian embassy to mourn the death of then-president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, New Delhi's response to the Supreme Leader's death was handled by the foreign secretary.</p>.<p>In the last few days, the Union government came under sharp attacks from the Opposition, with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi saying its silence on Khamenei's assassination raised serious questions about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy.</p>.<p>Though India had called for a resolution of the West Asia crisis through dialogue and diplomacy, it had not reacted to Khamenei's killing.</p> <p>New Delhi's condolences on Khamenei's killing also came a day after the US sank Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters off Sri Lanka's coast when it was returning home after participating in the Milan naval exercise, a multilateral wargame hosted by India.</p>
<p>NEW DELHI: Amid criticism from Opposition parties over India's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Union government finally offered its condolences on Thursday, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signing the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy here.</p>.<p>Separately, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, discussing the evolving situation in West Asia.</p>.<p>Though what transpired between them is not known, it was the second phone conversation between the two foreign ministers since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran.</p>.<p>Six days after Khamenei was killed in a joint strike on Tehran by the US and Israel, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy and signed the condolence book on the Union government's behalf, in what is being seen by many as a sign of a subtle shift in New Delhi's position on the conflict.</p>.'Do not remain silent': Iranian Embassy in India issues plea after Khamenei's death.<p>Misri also held a brief conversation with Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali. He also met Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, who also visited the embassy to sign the condolence book.</p>.<p>Unlike in May 2024, when Jaishankar visited the Iranian embassy to mourn the death of then-president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, New Delhi's response to the Supreme Leader's death was handled by the foreign secretary.</p>.<p>In the last few days, the Union government came under sharp attacks from the Opposition, with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi saying its silence on Khamenei's assassination raised serious questions about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy.</p>.<p>Though India had called for a resolution of the West Asia crisis through dialogue and diplomacy, it had not reacted to Khamenei's killing.</p> <p>New Delhi's condolences on Khamenei's killing also came a day after the US sank Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters off Sri Lanka's coast when it was returning home after participating in the Milan naval exercise, a multilateral wargame hosted by India.</p>
