CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby condemns U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran, killing of Khamenei

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary M.A. Baby on Sunday condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a major attack by Israel and the United States calling it “utterly reprehensible.”

“While we have differences with certain non-democratic measures adopted by the Iranian government, the murder of their Supreme Leader and other top officials by the Imperialist United States and Zionist Israel in violation of Iran’s national sovereignty and international law is utterly reprehensible and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” he said.

He said that what was being witnessed in Iran was the same kind of tactic that the U.S. had time and again used in Latin America and elsewhere.

“We have seen their lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being exposed. The experience of Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria is before our eyes. Once again, the American military-industrial complex is proving to be the biggest threat to world peace. The Government of India should take the lead in rallying the Global South to voice their highest condemnation of the excesses being committed by the U.S.-Israel axis in Iran, which has pushed them to take countermeasures. When world peace is under threat, India should play a lead role in rallying all democratic voices together so that there is a cessation of violent attacks and countermeasures,” he said. 

Various political parties and leaders in Kerala also condemned the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran.

The CPI(M) took out protest marches across the State in the evening, condemning the U.S. for the unrest in West Asia. CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan led a march in Thiruvananthapuram, with hundreds participating and carrying a banner that read 'Humanity Will Win, Not Trump.' Protesters held placards appealing for peace and condemning the U.S. action, and raised slogans against the United States.

Other political parties also organised protests at various places in the district.

Thangal pays tribute

Indian Union Muslim League leader Sayyid Munavar Ali Shihab Thangal paid tribute to Khamenei. In a Facebook post, the Thangal said Khamenei’s life was “defined by courage and dignity” and prayed that his “brave martyrdom during the holy month of Ramzan” be accepted by Allah. The Thangal said that at a time when many knelt before the injustices of the powerful, Khamenei stood firm with unwavering courage, even in the face of death. He described Khamenei’s life and martyrdom as an enduring inspiration for struggles, big and small, against injustice and prayed for peace for his soul.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), in a circular, asked believers to hold special prayers in churches for the victims and for an end to the conflict in the Gulf region. The KCBC said it was time to stand in solidarity with the victims of war and that world leaders were yet to realise that such conflicts were evil. It said wars were often aimed at securing vested interests and ensuring the complete defeat of the enemy, while the real victims were innocent people.

(With inputs from PTI)