Bengaluru: Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, has asserted that those who initiated the war in West Asia must take responsibility for ending it, as the conflict continues to push the region’s population into severe distress. Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, he indicated that the international community should press the United States and Israel to restore peace instead of directing questions at Iran.
Ilahi maintained that global focus should shift towards those who triggered the conflict, arguing that normalcy could return if the United States and the Zionist regime step back from the war. He also criticised attempts to influence global trade relations by discouraging engagement with specific countries, describing such actions as unjustifiable and harmful.
He further revealed that the escalation occurred even as diplomatic talks in Oman and Geneva were progressing positively. According to him, the attacking side had calculated that Iran’s government could be destabilised within a matter of days. He claimed the offensive followed four years of planning and involved a large-scale assault using around 500 aircraft along with multiple missile strikes.
Highlighting the scale of the crisis, Ilahi stated that more than 4,000 civilians had been killed so far. He accused Israel and its allies of attempting to erase Iran’s ancient civilisation, which he described as having a history spanning thousands of years. He also said Iran had firmly rejected demands for unconditional surrender and had endured an intense 40-day conflict, after which the opposing side, having failed to achieve its objectives, moved towards proposing a ceasefire.
Ilahi added that although proposals put forward by Iran were initially accepted, the United States later did not follow through with implementation. He pointed to the continued presence of US warships enforcing a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as a factor worsening the situation.
Reiterating his stance, Ilahi stressed that the region, which remained peaceful before February 28, could return to normal only if those who ignited the war chose to end it.