New Delhi [India], March 3 (ANI): Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on India's ties with Iran amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes by the United States and Israel.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Bhagat called for India's role in promoting dialogue as an alternative to violence to resolve the conflict in West Asia.

'War is a problem; war is not a solution to any problem. India is regarded as the country of Gandhi and Buddha. Dialogue is the only solution to peace. India alone can play the role of guide for the entire world today. Prime Minister should break his silence and clearly state whether we are with Iran or not,' the Congress MP said.

Congress MP Imran Masood called the Prime Minister's silence on Khamenei's killing 'painful,' and said that India cannot be 'vishwaguru' by remaining silent.

Masood told ANI, 'Killing of any Head of State is considered wrong across the world. The Head of State is never targeted. Iran's Supreme Leader was killed. Iran has been our traditional friend. Iran had supported us in the UN over the Kashmir issue. PM not speaking even two words about his killing is painful. We can't be 'Vishwaguru' like this. If we want to act like Big Brother, we cannot be one like this. Who launched the attack? Whose fault is it? Oman's Foreign Minister had said that Iran has accepted all terms and conditions. But it wasn't just Iran who was on target; it was Khamenei.'

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has also criticised PM Modi's government, stating that the government's silence on the 'targeted assassination' of Iran's Supreme Leader is 'not neutral but an abdication.'

In the opinion editorial (op-ed) piece in The Indian Express, Sonia Gandhi said India's lack of response 'signals tacit endorsement of this tragedy.'

'The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence,' Sonia Gandhi said in her opinion piece.

'Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US,' she added.

The US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities.

In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in West Asia and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI)