Owaisi Slams 'Cowardly' Killing of Iran's Khamenei, Fears Oil Rise

AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the killing of Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei by the US and Israel as 'cowardly', warning of rising oil prices impacting India. Israel has since released videos of its airstrikes as part of 'Operation Roaring Lion'.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, terming the US and Israel attack as "cowardly and inhuman". He expressed concern over the consequences this escalation in West Asia can have on the Indian economy, especially if oil price rises. "A respected leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed; the Iranians will definitely retaliate... While the peace talks were underway in Geneva, the attack was launched. This is a cowardly and inhuman attack... If this war continues, oil prices will rise, and even a difference of USD1 will have a huge impact on the Indian economy," he said.

Scholar Urges India to Advocate for Peace

Aligarh Muslim University's Muslim Scholar Raihan Akhtar Qasmi also expressed concern over the situation in West Asia. "Innocents are being killed in both countries, and there is an uproar due to the attacks on the economic centres. War is never the solution of any issue in any era... The war in any country - Ukraine and Russia, even the recent one in Afghanistan has never been solved through war," he said.

He urged the Indian government to step in and advocate peace, following the principles of Buddha. "The Supreme leader of Iran was also killed recently... This is not sending the right message... The leadership of India has said that we are the iconic face of peace and we believe in the principles of Buddha... Every Indian muslim and all citizens are against the war. The leadership of the country should step up to stop this war," he said.

Israel and Iran Exchange Strikes

Meanwhile, Israel has released the video of an airstrike in the "heart of Iran", after its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed. The IDF conducted strikes in Iran as part of Operation 'Roaring Lion'. In a post on X, the IDF said, "WATCH: For the first time since the start of Operation 'Roaring Lion', the IAF is striking targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran. Over the past day, the IAF conducted large-scale strikes to establish aerial superiority and pave the path to Tehran." Israel also killed Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Iranian Chief of Staff of the armed forces.

Iran, in retaliation, launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. An impact from an Iranian ballistic missile strike has killed at least four people and injured about 20 others in Israel's Beit Shemesh, 30km (19 miles) west of Jerusalem, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service, as quoted by Al Jazeera. (ANI)

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