'Utterly reprehensible': India's opposition parties condemn Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's killing

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi's remarks, Priyanka Gandhi said those in charge should remember that 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'.

New Delhi: Opposition on Sunday strongly condemned the "targeted assassination" of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Iranian leaders by the "so called leaders of the democratic world", calling it "utterly reprehensible" and "betrayal of India's values, principles, concerns, and interests".

Congress General Secretary and senior MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said it is "tragic" that multiple nations have now been "dragged into conflict" while insisting that the world "needs peace not more unnecessary wars".

"The targeted assassination of the leadership of a sovereign nation by the so-called leaders of the democratic world and the killing of multitudes of innocent people is despicable and deserves strong condemnation, no matter what the proclaimed reason for it is," she said on 'X'.

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi's remarks, she said those in charge should remember that 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'.

"I do hope that having genuflected before the Prime Minister of Israel (Benjamin Netanyahu) and President (Donald) Trump, our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) makes every effort to bring all Indian citizens in the affected countries back home to safety," she added.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the “Modi government's response to the war unleashed on Iran that has involved targeted assassinations” has been a "betrayal of India's values, principles, concerns, and interests".

Acknowledging the "differences" his party has with "certain non-democratic measures" adopted by the Iranian government, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby said the murder of Khamenei and other top officials by the "imperialist United States and Zionist Israel" in violation of Iran's national sovereignty and international law is "utterly reprehensible".

Condemning the attack on Iran in "in the strongest possible terms", he said the US has used the same kind of tactic time and again in Latin America and elsewhere.

"We have seen their lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being exposed. The experience of Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria is before our eyes. Once again, the American military-industrial complex is proving to be the biggest threat to world peace," he said.

He asked the Modi government to take the lead in rallying the Global South to voice their “highest condemnation of the excesses being committed by the US-Israel axis” in Iran, which has pushed them to take countermeasures. He also wanted India to rally all democratic voices together so that there is a cessation of violent attacks and countermeasures.

The National Conference said in a statement that its president Abdullah "strongly denounced" the act, describing it as a "tragic and destabilising development with serious implications” for peace and stability in the region.

Such incidents deepen uncertainty and grief, and underscore the urgent need for wisdom, restraint and adherence to the principles of justice and international law, the statement said.