New Delhi: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (March 3) questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said that India must be “morally clear”.Gandhi said that Modi “must speak up” on whether he “supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order” and said that silence “diminishes India’s standing in the world.”“India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes – and it must remain consistent,” Gandhi said in a statement on X.“PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order? Silence now diminishes India’s standing in the world.”Gandhi’s statement came hours after Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi too questioned India’s silence on Khamenei’s assassination in an article written in the Indian Express. Amid the increasing hostilities in West Asia following US and Israel’s attack on Iran, Modi has yet to issue any statement on Khamenei’s killing. The prime minister had a telephonic conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 2 condemning the recent missile and drone attacks on the Kingdom’s territory. This followed his earlier conversations with the leaders of UAE and Israel, in which he condemned attacks on Emirati territory and urged an early end to hostilities in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As in those exchanges, India’s public statements have emphasised sovereignty, territorial integrity and the safety of civilians, while calling for dialogue and de-escalation.Gandhi in his statement said that escalating tensions in the region “are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict” due to which the large Indian diaspora in the region faces uncertainty.“Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty,” he said.“While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran’s attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence – dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace.”Earlier on Monday, while addressing a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Modi said India supports the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and would continue working with countries in West Asia to ensure the safety of Indians in the region.