Congress condemned the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei, calling the attack a serious violation of international law.

Bureau Prayagraj- Congress has strongly condemned the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei in the attack by America and Israel. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that we condemn the targeted killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Husseini Khamenei and call it a serious violation of international law. Congress said that we are completely united with the Supreme Leader’s family, the people of Iran and the Shia community around the world in this moment of grave crisis and sorrow.

In a statement, the Congress President said that the Indian National Congress strongly condemns the targeted assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Husseini Khamenei, in a military strike without any formal declaration of war. Congress expresses its deepest condolences to the Supreme Leader’s family, the people of Iran and the Shia community around the world in this hour of deep grief. We stand in solidarity with them in dealing with this serious crisis.

The Congress president said India’s foreign policy is based on a promise to resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and respect for international law, as mandated by Article 51 of the Constitution of India. These principles – sovereign equality, non-interference and promotion of peace – are the foundation of India’s civilizational values. Given this, the conflict in West Asia is in stark contrast to our commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbak (“the world is one family”), Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy of non-alignment.

The Congress president said the targeted use of force to destabilize the leadership and governing structure of a sovereign country, be it Iran or earlier Venezuela, signals the re-emergence of the regime-change doctrine and coercive and disturbing unilateralism. It also violates the United Nations Charter – specifically Article 2(4), which explicitly prohibits “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”, and Article 2(7), which prohibits interference in matters falling within the domestic jurisdiction of any State. The targeted assassination of a sitting head of state attacks the heart of these international rules. Sovereignty is not conditional, and political legitimacy cannot be created by force.

The Congress President said that Congress emphasizes that it is the fundamental right of the citizens of every country to decide their political future. No external power has the right to change the regime or dictate the leadership of another country. Such actions amount to imperialism and are in fact incompatible with the rules-based international order.