What Happened
- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh appeared at the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi on March 6, 2026, calling the US-Israel war on Iran "an existential war."
- He condemned the US attack on the IRIS Dena, an Iranian frigate that had been attending the Milan naval exercises by invitation of India, calling it "unarmed," "ceremonial," and in a "non-combat configuration" when attacked.
- Khatibzadeh condemned the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the joint US-Israel strike on February 28, warning that targeting state leaders sets a dangerous precedent for international law.
- He stated Iran has "no option" but to engage in "heroic nationalist defence," vowing resistance to the "last bullet" and "last soldier."
- Khatibzadeh met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue, underscoring India's effort to maintain diplomatic engagement with Tehran amid the conflict.
- He accused the US of "cherry-picking" international law and said the attack on the vessel "cannot go with impunity."
Static Topic Bridges
Raisina Dialogue — India's Premier Geopolitical Forum
The Raisina Dialogue is India's flagship multilateral conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, hosted annually in New Delhi. It is co-organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The 2026 edition (11th edition) was held from March 5–7, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Finland's President Alexander Stubb as the keynote speaker.
- Theme for 2026: "Saṁskāra: Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement."
- Participants: Representatives from 110 countries including ministers, former heads of state, military commanders, and industry leaders.
- Focus areas in 2026: AI, security, fragmented world order, climate geopolitics.
- Jaishankar's bilateral meetings at Raisina signal India's active diplomatic posture in the current crisis.
Connection to this news: Khatibzadeh's choice of Raisina Dialogue as the venue to make his statement is deliberate — it gives Iran maximum diplomatic visibility on Indian soil and puts India in an awkward position as a country trying to balance its strategic relationships with both the US and Iran.
India-Iran Relations and the Milan Exercise
India and Iran share a civilizational and strategic relationship spanning trade, energy, and connectivity. The Milan exercises are a biennial multinational naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy, reflecting India's effort to build maritime partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
- India ended oil imports from Iran in 2019 following US secondary sanctions; bilateral trade fell to approximately $1.68 billion as of October 2025.
- The 10-year Chabahar Port contract signed in May 2024 between India Ports Global Ltd and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation is India's most strategically significant infrastructure project in Iran.
- India's Chabahar waiver from Washington expires April 26, 2026 — the war complicates its renewal.
- The IRIS Dena's presence at Milan was part of normal maritime diplomacy; the US attack on it returning home introduces severe legal and diplomatic complications for India.
Connection to this news: The incident places India in a directly uncomfortable position — an Iranian vessel attacked while returning from an Indian-hosted exercise creates diplomatic and legal obligations that India must navigate carefully.
International Law on Naval Vessels and Right of Innocent Passage
Under international law (UNCLOS — UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), naval vessels enjoy sovereign immunity. The right of innocent passage applies to all ships in territorial waters, but warships in non-combat configuration are still sovereign state assets. Attacking a vessel not engaged in hostilities may violate customary international law.
- UNCLOS Article 32: Warships and government ships retain sovereign immunity.
- Khatibzadeh's "cherry-picking of international law" charge refers specifically to the US selectively invoking law when convenient.
- The killing of a Head of State (Khamenei) also implicates international humanitarian law prohibitions on targeted assassination of political leaders.
Connection to this news: Iran's argument at Raisina Dialogue is framed in international law to build diplomatic support among non-aligned nations — a strategy aimed at isolating the US-Israel position internationally.
Key Facts & Data
- IRIS Dena: Iranian frigate attacked by US forces while returning from Milan naval exercise
- Raisina Dialogue 2026: 11th edition, March 5–7, New Delhi; theme "Saṁskāra"
- Co-organizers: ORF and MEA; 110 countries represented
- India-Iran bilateral trade: ~$1.68 billion (October 2025)
- Chabahar 10-year contract: Signed May 2024 between India Ports Global Ltd and Iran's PMO
- Chabahar US waiver expiry: April 26, 2026
- Khamenei killed: February 28, 2026, in joint US-Israel strike