On Friday, Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as “totally unjustified,” stating that Iran had provided no provocation for the Jewish state to initiate hostilities. Abdullah told reporters, “As far as I know, Iran did not give any reason to Israel to carry out attacks on it. Israel, of its own will, waged war against the country, calling it a preemptive attack.”
Abdullah expressed concern over the silence of world powers regarding Israel’s aggression, calling it “very unfortunate.” He drew a parallel to the international response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, noting the apparent double standard. “Today, Israel did what Russia did with Ukraine. You raise your voice against Russia, and a movement starts against Russia, but when Israel attacks Iran, the world powers — be it the US, Europe, or any other country — fall silent. If an attack by a country, such as Russia, on another is wrong, the attack by Israel on Iran is totally unjustified,” he asserted.
The Chief Minister warned that the escalating situation in the Middle East would have immediate global repercussions, affecting fuel prices, stock markets, and flights to the West, in addition to impacting public sentiment.
He also appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students in Iran. “Requesting @MEAIndia to urgently ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students currently stuck in Iran. Their families are deeply worried, and we stand with them in this difficult time. Every step must be taken to safeguard our students,” Abdullah posted on X.
Regarding the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, which claimed 241 lives, Abdullah described it as an “unfortunate incident” and extended his sympathies to the victims’ families, including those of the crew members. He voiced hopes for a swift investigation into the cause of the crash and for the prevention of similar incidents in the future.
