The Indian National Congress (INC) has unequivocally condemned the targeted assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a military strike carried out without a formal declaration of war, terming the act deeply troubling and inconsistent with established international norms.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge extended the party’s deepest condolences to the family of the late leader, to the people of Iran, and to the global Shia community as they grapple with profound grief and uncertainty.
The party invoked India’s constitutional commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for international law, referencing Article 51, which places an obligation on the Indian state to promote peace, international cooperation and to uphold respect for international law. The statement also underscored foundational principles such as sovereign equality and non-intervention, which the INC said are central to India’s civilisational values and foreign policy heritage.
Highlighting principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the INC noted that Article 2(4) prohibits “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state” and that Article 2(7) bars intervention in matters within the domestic jurisdiction of another country. The party remarked that the killing of a serving head of state “strikes at the heart” of these international rules and that sovereignty cannot be conditional or overridden by force.
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The Congress reiterated that the right of a nation’s citizens to determine their own political future is “inalienable,” and said no external power has the authority to engineer regime change or dictate leadership in another sovereign state. It described any attempt to do so as incompatible with a genuinely rules-based international order and tantamount to imperialism.
The statements emerged in the context of confirmed reports that Khamenei was killed in a joint military operation carried out by the United States and Israel. Iran’s state media announced his death and declared a period of national mourning following coordinated strikes that also reportedly killed several members of his family and senior Iranian officials.
Global reactions have been mixed, with some nations expressing concern over violations of international law and others framing the developments in strategic terms. The situation has already triggered protests and widened geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia.
