Omar Abdullah Condemns Attack in Iran

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the future of Iran must be determined solely by its own people, stressing that no international law authorises any external power to bomb a sovereign nation or forcibly change its government.

Speaking to reporters in Jammu, he expressed deep sympathy with the people of Iran and strongly condemned the attack that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei along with members of his family. He questioned the legality of such actions, asking what international principle could justify the United States or Israel carrying out such an operation. Abdullah reiterated that only the Iranian people have the right to decide the nature of their government and the direction of their political future.

The Chief Minister urged the people of J&K to maintain calm and not allow emotions to escalate into unrest. While acknowledging that grief and anger are natural responses, he emphasised the importance of restraint and warned against taking the law into one’s own hands. He appealed to religious leaders to guide communities toward peaceful expression of their sentiments and to ensure that no one exploits the situation to disturb public order.

The Chief Minister added that he does not want to see any misuse of force by police or paramilitary forces, nor does he want civilians to suffer injuries. Referring to reports of clashes in certain areas of the Kashmir Valley, he noted that such incidents compel authorities to impose stricter measures, which he hopes to avoid.

On the safety of residents from J&K currently in Iran, Abdullah said the administration is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs. Most students have already been moved to safer locations, he said, while advising those still in Iran to follow the guidelines issued by the Indian Embassy, especially in cases where some are not being permitted to leave immediately.

Commenting on the broader regional tensions, he said that war is never a solution and urged all sides to work toward de-escalation. He reiterated that if the people of Iran are dissatisfied with their government, only they have the authority to decide how and when change should occur.

Earlier, addressing a national conference on transforming governance for Viksit Bharat and improving administrative systems, Abdullah said that the vision of a developed India by 2047 can only be realised if progress reaches every part of the country. Development limited to a few states or regions, he said, would remain “a dream and a slogan.” He stressed that from J&K in the north to Assam in the east, Gujarat in the west, and Tamil Nadu and Keralam in the south, every region must advance for the national vision to materialise. He argued that true national development emerges from a ground-up approach, where strong districts lead to strong states and Union Territories, ultimately strengthening the entire country.

Abdullah highlighted the importance of sharing best practices across states, noting that for too long governance operated in silos where information-sharing was discouraged. He welcomed the shift toward more holistic and cooperative governance in recent years. He also underlined that governance challenges cannot be solved with a “one-size-fits-all” model, as solutions effective in one state may not work in another. However, he said, successful models can always be adapted to local conditions. Pointing to the transition to e-Office and digital governance in J&K, he said the shift has significantly improved efficiency and transparency. He recalled how a simple email in his earlier tenure once generated a file nearly a foot thick, whereas today most work is handled digitally. He also stressed that systems such as single-window clearances must function genuinely and not lead applicants from one counter to another.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, speaking at the same conference, said the people of J&K deserve appreciation for hosting a national-level event on good governance. He noted that such conferences are being organised across the country to ensure that governance is not confined to central institutions in Delhi. Singh said that during the current administration, several successful governance initiatives have been launched, including Mission Karmayogi and the iGOT platform, which enables government personnel to equip themselves for new responsibilities through continuous learning.