On Monday (16th September 2024), the Supreme leader of Iran, Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei resorted to spreading an anti-India agenda. Taking to X, he peddled the boogie of Muslim victimhood in India, an extremist unsubstantiated and blatantly acute rhetoric started by Indian Islamists to allege that Muslims are facing religious persecution in India. Iran’s theocratic leader further went on to brazenly club India with Gaza while claiming to land his voice to the sufferings of Muslims around the world. He also urged for unity within the “Islamic Ummah”.
In the anti-India propaganda post, Ali Khamenei wrote, “The enemies of Islam have always tried to make us indifferent about our shared identity as an Islamic Ummah. We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in #Myanmar, #Gaza, #India, or any other place.”
It is pertinent to note that the Iranian Supreme leader made the anti-India post while vying itself as a champion and leader of the Muslim world, especially at a time when a host of nations like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran itself are engaged in this power politics and placating to Islamist forces for their moral grandstanding in the Islamic world. Notably, Ali Khamenei made this anti-India propaganda post on the occasion of “Islamic Unity Week”.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the Iranian Supreme leader informed that on Monday he met with Sunni scholars from all across Iran on the occasion of Islamic Unity Week. Subsequently, in his posts, he called for unity within the “Islamic Ummah”, a concept which should never be forgotten, he added.
Khamenei explained the concept of Islamic Ummah stating that it is a fundamental issue that transcends nationality, and geographical borders, and protecting its identity is “essential”.
The concept of an "Islamic Ummah" must never be forgotten. Protecting the identity of the "Islamic Ummah" is essential. It is a fundamental issue that transcends nationality, and geographical borders don’t change the reality & identity of the Islamic Ummah.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 16, 2024
To project itself as the unifier of two major warring Muslim sects, Shia and Sunnis, the Iranian theocratic leader alleged that “ill-wishers” have been fueling religious differences in the Islamic world for a long time now, especially in Iran.
Ill-wishers have been fueling religious differences in the Islamic world for a long time now, especially in Iran.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 16, 2024
He further went on to allege that ill-wishers around the world want to divide Shias and Sunnis using ideological, propagational, media & economic factors.
“They exacerbate divisions by encouraging people on both sides to insult & offend the other side. The solution is focusing on unity,” Khamenei said in another X post.
Using ideological, propagational, media & economic factors, ill-wishers work to separate Shia from Sunni, within our country & all over the world. They exacerbate divisions by encouraging people on both sides to insult & offend the other side. The solution is focusing on unity.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 16, 2024
Citing the Quran, he said, “#Unity isn’t a tactic. Rather, it’s a fundamental principle in the #Quran,” as he claimed brotherhood among Shias and Sunnis within Iran.
#Unity isn't a tactic. Rather, it's a fundamental principle in the #Quran.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 16, 2024
Despite numerous conspiracies aimed at undermining Shia – Sunni unity, Iran’s Sunni community has countered these hostile moves as evidenced by the 15,000 Sunni martyrs of the Sacred Defense & the martyrdom of many Sunni scholars on the path of truth & the Revolution.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 16, 2024
Nonetheless, this is not the first time when the Iranian Supreme Leader has launched a smear campaign against India and peddled the boogie of Muslims being victimised in India.
During the notorious anti-CAA protests which turned violated and finally culminated in anti-Hindu Delhi riots, Khamenei on March 2020 wrote, “The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam. #IndianMuslimslnDanger”.
Incidentally, while the Iranian Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei launched a smear campaign against India to champion the cause of persecuted Muslims, in his own country, he is blamed for purging secular, modern, and dissenting Muslims, particularly women in the name of moral policing for ‘unIslamic practices’ like freedom to not wear Hijab.
Incidentally, despite a brutal crackdown, anti-Hijab protests have not died down completely in Iran. Click here, to read why deceased Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was known as ‘The Butcher of Tehran’: An insight into the brutal past of a dictator and how the Iranian theocratic regime has purged scores of Muslims.
Furthermore, the population growth, surveys point out that the majority of Muslims say that they are free to practice their faith in India, democratic protection for Muslims under minority rights, and overall tolerance of Hinduism have debunked the boogie of Muslims being victimed in India. On the flip side, the unfound remarks made just to placate Islamists are mere ploys in the race for leadership of the Muslim world. Pertinently, scores of incidents throughout the world have revealed that there is no common brotherhood, only ‘common enemies’: The Ummah ignores millions of Muslim victims but gets together against Jews, Hindus, and Christians.
