Modi govt's failure to condemn attacks on Iran shows political betrayal of civilisational values: Congress

New Delhi: Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government's failure to condemn the US-Israel aerial assault on Iran and “force a brutal regime change” there reflected the "moral cowardice" and "political betrayal" of India's civilisational values.

He also said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi also did not use his much-claimed friendship with the US president (Donald Trump) and the Israeli prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) to bring about a cease-fire.

In a statement shared on X, Ramesh said it has been exactly 21 days or three weeks since the aerial assault of the US and Israel on Iran began.

It has also been 23 days since the prime minister returned from his “much-trumpeted” visit to Israel, he said.

"Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the launch of the heavy aerial assault on Iran by the US and Israel that has now led to severe economic dislocations everywhere, including India? The answer is NO.

"Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the targeted assassinations of top Iranian leaders by the US and Israel that continue unabated? The answer is NO.

"Has the Modi government condemned or criticised or deplored the brutal efforts of the US and Israel to force a regime change and state collapse that could lead to civil war in Iran? The answer is NO," the Congress leader said.

"Has the Modi government mounted serious diplomatic efforts and initiatives to bring the bombing of Iran and Iran's attacks on energy and other essential infrastructure in the Gulf countries to an immediate halt? Has the PM used his much-claimed friendship with the US president and the Israeli PM to bring about a cease-fire? The answer is NO," he added.

"These 4 NOs reflect the moral cowardice and political betrayal of India's civilisational values," the Congress general secretary alleged.

The three-week war has shown no signs of abating, with Israel saying Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the country's eastern region, which is home to major oil installations.

Iran has also fired at energy sites in the Gulf countries and has now threatened recreational and tourist sites worldwide.

The US is deploying more warships and another 2,500 Marines, three weeks into the war it launched alongside Israel.

The death toll has risen to more than 1,300 in Iran, over 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members in the region, with millions displaced in Lebanon and Iran.

(With PTI inputs)