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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday signed the condolence book at the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi on behalf of the Government of India, expressing sympathy following the death of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The condolence book was opened by the Iranian mission to allow diplomats, officials and members of the public to pay respects after Khamenei was killed last week in joint military strikes by the US and Israel. During his visit, Foreign Secretary Misri conveyed India's message of sympathy to the Ambassador of Iran to India, Mohammad Fathali. The Iranian Embassy also lowered its flag to half-mast following the death of the country's Supreme Leader. This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on Saturday on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran. In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries as the conflict now entered its sixth day. Tehran's counter-strikes have also targeted American military bases and Israeli assets throughout the region, with Israel also continuing its strikes on Tehran and widening the conflict to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah. Earlier on Tuesday, India expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict in Iran and the Gulf region, urging all sides to exercise restraint and prioritise civilian safety. The situation has deteriorated significantly, with increased violence and disruptions to normal life. In a statement, the official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said, "We had expressed our deep concern at the commencement of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on 28 February 2026. Even at that time, India had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritize the safety of civilians. Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously." "India strongly reiterates its call for dialogue and diplomacy. We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict. Already, many lives have been regrettably lost, and we express our grief in that regard," the statement added. On Tuesday, the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi announced that a condolence book will be opened this week to commemorate the "martyrdom" of Khamenei. "On the occasion of the martyrdom of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Imam Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a condolence book will be opened at the Embassy of the I.R. Iran in New Delhi," the Embassy stated in a post on X. According to a statement issued by the embassy, those wishing to pay their respects and offer their condolences may visit the Embassy on March 5, 6, and 9 to sign the condolence book. The visiting hours will be from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on each of the above days. (ANI)
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