Thousands of Shia Protesters Rally in Kargil in Support of Iran, Denounce US and Israel

Srinagar:
Amid growing international attention on unrest and developments in Iran, thousands of people took to the streets in the Shia-majority district of Kargil in eastern Ladakh to express solidarity with Iran and its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The rally was organised under the banner of the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust and remained largely peaceful, officials said.

Kargil, which lies close to the Line of Control with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, witnessed massive gatherings where protesters waved banners praising Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei, while raising slogans against the United States and Israel in Persian and Urdu. Women also addressed the gathering. Police and paramilitary forces were deployed as a precautionary measure.

The rally was led by the Trust’s president, Sheikh Sadiq Razai, who accused Washington and Tel Aviv of attempting to dominate the region and destabilise Iran. “We have come out on the streets to protest against America and to stand with the brave people of Iran,” Razai said, calling upon Islamic countries to unite against what he described as “malicious designs” of the US.

Community leaders said the demonstrations were meant to convey that Iran is not isolated. Senior Ladakh-based social activist Asgar Ali Karbali stated that Iran has historically supported oppressed communities from Lebanon to Palestine. “Through this massive protest in Kargil, we want to show that Iran is not alone,” he said.

Similar sentiments were echoed in Uttar Pradesh, where prominent Shia clerics and community leaders in Lucknow expressed support for Tehran and warned against further escalation of tensions. Maulana Kalbe Jawad, a leading cleric, criticised Western sanctions on Iran, claiming they had crippled the country’s economy and fuelled unrest. He urged New Delhi to support Tehran rather than maintain neutrality.

All India Shia Personal Law Board general secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas accused the US and Israel of fomenting instability and dismissed reports of large-scale casualties in Iran, asserting that life there remained normal. Meanwhile, Islamic Centre of India president and Shahi Imam of Lucknow, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, stressed that war was not a solution and called upon the United Nations to intervene, highlighting Iran’s sovereignty and its long-standing historical ties with India.

From Kintoor village in Barabanki district—about 30 km southeast of Lucknow and known as the ancestral home of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s forefathers—Dr Rehan Kazmi alleged that Western media was distorting facts. Citing family contacts in Iran, he said large pro-government rallies were taking place and warned that Iran would respond strongly to any attack by Israel or the US.

Officials confirmed that the protests in Kargil and other areas were peaceful, though demonstrations continued in some locations on Thursday as well.