Hyderabad: The Iranian Consulate in Hyderabad on Wednesday, April 15, criticised retired Indian Army officer Major Gaurav Arya after his remarks supporting Israel’s military actions in Lebanon and Gaza.
The controversy began after the consulate shared a video clip on X showing Arya speaking in a debate on News18 Hindi alongside Pakistani anchor Mona Alam.
During the debate, Mona Alam directly questioned Arya’s stance on Iran. “Israeli lawyers have come. You are Iran’s friend in person and behind your back you are Iran’s biggest enemy. Watch out and stay safe, no missile will come, Pakistan will not save you,” she said.
In a response, Arya said India was the “true brother” of Israel and voiced support for Israeli military action in Lebanon and Gaza. “We are Israel’s true brothers. I support what Israel is doing in Lebanon and Gaza. Drop 100 more bombs on Lebanon and 50 more bombs on Gaza,” he said. He also said he had “never liked the Iranian regime”.
Watch the video here
Reacting to the clip, the Iranian Consulate said such views have no credibility. It criticised what it called support for a “genocidal and occupying regime” and said such arguments are used to justify continued attacks
The post quickly drew widespread attention online, receiving over 242,000 views, more than 2,500 reposts, and around 7,900 likes.
The exchange has led to mixed reactions in the comment section of the video. Some people supported India’s ties with Israel, while others said Arya’s views are his own and do not reflect India’s official position.
The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia, following the US-Israel war on Iran that began on February 28. A ceasefire has been in place since April 8, while talks are ongoing. The first round of negotiations in Islamabad failed, and a second round is expected soon.
