Iran’s Double Standard: History Invoked, Principles Discarded
At a recent diplomatic gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Iranian representatives appealed to India’s ancient ties — conjuring a shared Indo‑Aryan heritage stretching back to the fire‑worshipping Zoroastrians. Across its social media channels, the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi peddled this narrative with rhetorical flourishes. One post declares (in Hindi):
“ईरानी क़ौम अज़ीम क़ौम है, ईरान एक ताक़तवर और प्राचीन सभ्यता वाला मुल्क है। हमारी कल्चरल और सिविलाइज़ेशनल पूंजी अमरीका और उस जैसे मुल्कों से सैकड़ों गुना ज़्यादा है…
This message invokes pride in a “powerful, ancient civilisation” and hints at “civilisational capital” that dwarfs Western influence. But the deeper motive becomes starkly clear when Tehran abstained from condemning the Pahalgam terror massacre—a brutal attack on Indian civilians in April, carried out by Pakistan‑linked militants. Pakistan and China successfully sidelined mention of the attack in the final SCO statement; India, represented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, resolutely refused to sign the document over its omission.
Ancient Kinship—and Modern Hypocrisy
Historically, the bonds between ancient Persia and India were rooted in shared Vedic and Zoroastrian traditions. Zoroastrian refugees, fleeing Islamic conquest, found sanctuary as Parsis in India—thanking a land that preserved their sacred fire temples and culture.
But post‑Islamic conquest, Iran’s track record faltered. One of the bloodiest chapters of Indo-Iranian history was the 1739 incursion by Nader Shah, when tens of thousands in Delhi were slaughtered and the Peacock Throne and Koh‑I‑Noor were carried off. This wasn’t an exchange of civilisation—it was an act of colonial violence.
Tehran’s Diplomatic Selectivity
Iran now couches itself in the language of civilisational fraternity when confronting Israel, yet turns a blind eye when its allies target Indian civilians. Its abstention on condemning the Pahalgam carnage speaks volumes.
The April 22 massacre in Pahalgam saw 26 tourists—mostly Hindu—murdered at point‑blank range. Lashkar‑e‑Taiba’s proxy, The Resistance Front, claimed responsibility. India’s SCO position was clear: justice for terror victims. Yet Iran, together with Pakistan and China, blocked the consensus, choosing self-interest in condemning violence from Baloch separatists, irritants to both Tehran and Islamabad.
The same Iranian embassy that commemorates ancient heritage in New Delhi remains silent on the suffering of Indian civilians and their families. That silence is no accident—it is part of a broader political choice.
India Must Remember — and Respond
India prides itself on pluralism—protecting Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, and secular Muslims alike. But Tehran’s appeal to civilisational memory must not blur strategic clarity and moral consistency.
If Iran truly valued ancient bonds, it would have stood with India at the SCO on the Pahalgam massacre resolution. Instead, by maintaining silence, Tehran shows where its sympathies lie—and they are not with India.
India’s goodwill should not be miscast as pliancy. Ancient links with Persia are real, but Iran’s current posture—strategic alliances with Pakistan, silence on terrorism, and selective history and thirst to destroy Israel while supporting and financing terrorist groups such as Hamas—is not diplomacy; it is cynicism and hypocrisy. The “Islamic” nuclear threat that Pakistan poses is enough, Iran will be insufferable if the current regime has that capacity. Before invoking the sacred fire of old, Iran must first honour the victims of modern terror, make peace with Israel. Only then can India believe that it is an ally in good faith.
