For Shias, including those in India, Khamenei was not just a political leader who was the “Supreme Leader” of Iran, but also a religious leader. AdvertisementWhile a sizable number of South Asian Shia Muslims follow Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, the dean of the Hawza in Najaf, Iraq — the oldest Shia seminary in the world — Khamenei also had a substantial following in the Indian subcontinent. When the centre of Shia Islam was Najaf, political interventions from the Shia leadership were negligible. AdvertisementIran’s project to make itself more significant among Shia Muslims yielded dividends and now many among Indian Shias look at Iran as an authority on religion. During the 18th Century, the nawabs of Awadh, including Asaf-ud-Daula, were Shia Muslims.

Source: Indian Express March 03, 2026 12:25 UTC