Iran ties

Ayatollah Khamenei’s death has been mourned in the state, with protests, an MLA has sought resolution in Assembly, parties have "deplored" killing of the head of a sovereign state.

On March 9, a Sikh delegation led by the Akali Dal’s Delhi unit president, Paramjit Singh Sarna, visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed at the start of the Israel-US war on Iran.

On March 16, there was another visit, a quiet one, to mourn another passing.

Abdul Majid Hakim Elahi, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, visited Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi with colleagues to attend the final prayers for Sardar Parduman Singh Chandhok, who played a significant role in establishing gurdwaras in Iran.

The two visits, seven days apart, underlined the deep ties that run between Punjab and Iran, going back to ancient times.

Many are being invoked now by people in the state, who view the war on Iran as unfair.

In the recent Punjab Assembly Session, Akali Dal MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, sought that the House pass a resolution in support of Iran, which was not allowed by the Speaker.

Sukhi told The Indian Express : “As a Punjabi, it is our duty to speak against the oppression.

I also spoke on the Manipur violence in the Punjab Assembly in the past.”
Soon after the war started, protests were held by farmer and labour unions in Punjab, burning effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu .

Among those who have spoken up for Iran are pro-Khalistan parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and Dal Khalsa, which also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Israel just before the attacks on Iran started.

While regretting Iran’s attacks on its neighbours, the Dal Khalsa slammed the assassination of Khamenei, slamming the killing of “the head of a sovereign country” as “deplorable”.

Harpal Singh Pannu, Chairman of the Guru Nanak Research Chair at Chandigarh University, who travelled to Iran in 2009 and authored the book Iran Te Irani, refers to the religious, historical and linguistic links that tie Punjab and Iran.

During his fourth Udasi (travels), Guru Nanak Dev, accompanied by Bhai Mardana, is said to have visited the region.

Today, a historical gurdwara stands in Tehran as a testament to the community’s presence.

During the Pahlavi royal dynasty’s time, the local Sikh population stood at nearly 20,000 families.

About 2,500 Sikhs are believed to still be residents of Tehran.

Baba Farid, the revered Sufi saint whose verses are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, is highly respected in Iran, with a prominent street in Tehran named ‘Baba Farid Street’.

Same as Urdu, many words in the Punjabi language too have their origin in Persian, with the region seeing the rule of various Persianate dynasties.

After the Battle of Chamkaur, which he lost to the Mughal Army, Guru Gobind Singh penned Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory in Persian to Aurangzeb, laying out why his was a moral victory.

The most celebrated poet-devotee in Guru Gobind Singh’s court, Bhai Nand Lal, left behind renowned Persian works, blending Sufi mysticism with the core tenets of Sikh theology.

In 1972, renowned scholar and diplomat Mushir-ul-Haq published the Persian translation of the Japji Sahib, the foundational prayer of Sikhism, known as Munajat-e-Bamdadi (The Morning Prayer).

The gumbad (dome) of Sikh gurdwaras is also an import from Persian-style architecture, points out Pannu.

Says social activist Gangveer Rathur, “During the reign of Darius, Punjab was part of the Persian Empire.

The politics of hate is not effective in Punjab, which is why there is such deep sympathy for Iran.”
In recent years, trade has further deepened the ties.

Pointing out that Iran along with the rest of West Asia is a primary market for Punjab’s Basmati, farmer leader Satnam Singh Ajnala says: “We fear an adverse impact on farmers in the coming season.” Ajnala also talks about how a government promise to take Punjab farmers on a visit to Iran to “explore new opportunities” never fructified.

The region, in fact, had high expectations of trade seeing an upswing after the completion of the Chabahar Port in Iran.

Given the regional instability and shifting geopolitical dynamics, that increasingly looks distant now.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab.

He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts.

Core Beats & Specializations
Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions.

National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups.

Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies:
1.

Religious Politics & Akal Takht
"Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015.

"YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies.

"As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications.

2.

Crime & National Security
"Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison.

"Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border.

"15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions.

3.

Political Analysis & Elections
"AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress.

"Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages.

"AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions.

4.

Human Interest
"Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction.

"Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo.

Signature Beat
Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics.

His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect.

X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ...

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