Interview: Kashmir MP Ruhullah Mehdi Recalls Two Meetings With Khamenei - One As Grieving Son And The Other As Minister
ETV Bharat spoke to Kashmir Shia leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's assassination and its fallout.
Published : March 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM IST
Srinagar: In March 2001, just four months after a powerful IED blast claimed his father's life, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi travelled to Tehran. He was not there as a leader but as a young, grieving son.
Accompanied by his grandfather, Ruhullah was received by Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Now, Member of Parliament from Srinagar, Ruhullah, recalls that meeting as a "spiritual moment" that provided him solace amid personal tragedy.
He remembers Khamenei advising him to "firmly follow the beliefs" for which his father and Kashmir’s prominent Shia leader Aga Syed Mehdi "sacrificed" his life.
Following the assassination of Iran’s top leader by Israel and the United States in coordinated strikes on March 28, he described the loss as "painful" and said it signals the "breakdown of international laws" and the "rise of jungle rule".
Excerpts of Ruhullah Mehdi's Interview With ETV Bharat:
On the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ruhullah: The world has crossed the red line. This is the rule of the jungle, where a country with military might can impose its will without any consequences. There is no regard for sovereignty or a sovereign religious leader who was respected across the Muslim world. The international covenants and laws have been tossed aside. By these actions, the United States is fulfilling the wishes of Israel.
His meetings with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ruhullah: I have met him twice. When my father was assassinated in Kashmir, I, along with my grandfather, who was his representative here, got an invitation from him. It was March 2001 and I got the opportunity to meet him personally. Ayatollah offered his personal condolences over the killing of my father. It was a spiritual moment. He kissed my forehead and advised me to remain firm in my father’s beliefs.
The second time I met him was in 2010 during my visit to Iran. That time, I had become a minister (in the Omar Abdullah-led government). He expressed happiness at my progress at a young age and told me to stay true to the job and the people.
How does Khamenei's killing impact Iran and Muslims in Kashmir?
Ruhullah: They have lost a spiritual fatherly figure. People in Kashmir came out to express grief, but unfortunately, they were stopped with barricades and restrictions. By doing this, the authorities give the impression that they serve the interests of the Prime Minister of Israel. These were peaceful protests and there was no violation of law and order. Why restrict people from grieving?
On criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Israel visit
Ruhullah: It was painful to see the Prime Minister of India visiting Israel. India has historically been guided by moral principles and an independent approach to geopolitics. But Prime Minister Modi is steering the country away from that policy. He visited and greeted Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who is a known war criminal. Israel carried out genocide in Palestine. No other sovereign leader met Netanyahu or visited Israel except Modi, and that too just two days before the attack on Iran.
Concerns over Israel-US attack on Iran
Ruhullah: It is painful and concerning to see a sovereign nation attacked by Israel and the United States. They killed innocent people, targeted schools and killed students. The religious head of a vast majority of the globe was assassinated in the same strike. It is devastating. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has questions to answer. Did he know about the attack, as it came just hours after he was in Israel? Also, why did he fail to condemn the attack and assassination?
Criticising Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not condemning the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei?
Unfortunately, he could not connect with the emotions of the people he claims to represent. It is a question for him. Why does he shy away from condemnation? Who does he want to please? Does he get direction from somewhere? He should reflect what people feel.
His reaction aligned people in power at the centre rather than his own electorate. How the Prime Minister is silent, I see parallels here and that speaks volumes.
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