India’s Shia Card and Delegation Failed to Impress Iran — Delhi’s attempts to ease tensions with Tehran after Khamenei’s death were largely ignored, despite the Iranian Embassy’s polite diplomatic statement.

Jaishankar’s Bahrain Visit Signalled Realpolitik — Immediately after the Tehran funeral, the EAM’s trip to Bahrain (a key US ally) highlighted India’s tight balancing act between Iran and the US-Israel-Gulf axis.

Deep Civilisational Ties Remain, But Geopolitics Dominate — Iran values people-to-people and historical bonds with India, yet current relations are strained by Delhi’s pro-Israel tilt, oil purchase hesitations, and emerging Iran-Pakistan convergence.

Delhi’s attempt to play the Shia card to moderate the Iranian disquiet over our ‘forever honeymoon’ with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis failed to impress Tehran. It was a clumsy attempt but was, arguably, the best card Delhi held potentially. The best alternative would have been to send an all-party delegation to represent India at the funeral ceremony of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But the toxicity of India’s democracy under BJP rule simply did not allow it. 

In the event, the Indian delegation’s participation was largely ignored, while Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan, was received by President Masoud Pezeshkian. However, Iran’s Embassy in Delhi made amends with a lengthy statement – posted, ironically, on ‘X’ – duly expressing its “heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to the friendly government and people of India, especially the official delegation that attended on behalf of........

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