Today’s development is not just a matter of diplomacy; it is a revelation of a truth the United States would rather keep hidden. From the heart of New Delhi, Iran has openly stood with India and spoken words that are bound to echo through Washington’s power corridors.

From the Iranian Embassy in Delhi, with the national flag flying high, Iran’s Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, took the microphone and made remarks powerful enough to set off political tremors. Elahi stated plainly that while the US accuses India of financing Russia in the Ukraine war by buying oil, Washington itself welcomes individuals convicted by the International Criminal Court into the White House and supplies weapons to Israel, making itself complicit in what he described as genocide in Gaza.

In one stroke, Iran exposed what it called America’s greatest hypocrisy in wartime — holding one standard for its adversaries and another for its allies. On one hand, the US accuses India of funding Russia’s war through oil purchases, and on the other, it openly sends bombs and missiles to Israel, even as the world witnesses innocent civilians being killed in Gaza.

This is the same America, Elahi argued, that has separate rules for enemies and friends — rules meant for others, but never for itself. The Iranian envoy did not spare even US President Donald Trump, often called the “peacemaker.” He remarked that by imposing a 50% tariff on India, Trump was not implementing a new policy but simply exposing the true face of US foreign policy. In other words, Trump’s actions made it clear that no country is a permanent friend of the United States. Friendship lasts only as long as it benefits America.

Elahi went further to declare that America is not India’s friend, but Iran is. However, the story is not so straightforward. Just a few months ago, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei compared the people of Kashmir to those in Gaza, advocating for the freedom of Muslims in Kashmir. This means Iran is not entirely beyond criticism either. The hard truth here is that in international politics, no country is anyone’s permanent friend. Every nation acts in its own national interest — whether it is the US, Russia, Iran, or India.

This reality means that at times a country may stand with you, and at other times, it may make statements against you. Today, Iran’s words are in support of India, but tomorrow it might disagree with New Delhi on another matter. Still, in the present scenario, Elahi’s statement is a significant blow to the US — not just because of its content but because it was made from Indian soil, in India’s favor.

For Washington, this is a challenge. The US is already uneasy about India’s growing closeness with Russia, and now, with a country like Iran openly siding with India and speaking against America, it has become a headache for its Indo-Pacific strategy. The US wants India firmly in its camp, aligned with the Quad, and distanced from Russia and Iran. But India has made it clear that its foreign policy is not dictated by Washington.

This puts President Trump in an even tighter spot. He is already taking hardline positions against China, Russia, and Iran — and now Iran has responded from New Delhi by targeting him directly. For Trump, this is a double blow: first, India-US relations appear to be weakening, and second, Iran has been handed a larger stage to attack US policies. This is not just a diplomatic setback but also a political problem for Trump, as his opponents can now argue that even a major democracy like India is unhappy with his policies.

For India, the biggest gain from this episode is reinforcing its position as an independent player on the global stage. India has shown it is not a pawn of any single bloc. It makes decisions based on its own “India First” policy — whether that means striking energy deals with Russia, pursuing projects with Iran, or making strategic investments in West Asia — regardless of whether Washington approves or not.

While Iran’s statement today cannot be seen as an unshakable guarantee of friendship, it sends a strong geopolitical message against the United States. Trump and Washington must understand that the world has changed — India does not bow to pressure, it does not submit to blackmail, and if it is publicly targeted, there will always be a nation ready to stand beside it, whether that is Iran or Russia.