Prominent Indian Islamic scholar Maulana Sajjad Nomani has criticised the United States–Israel attack on Iran and urged Muslims not to frame the crisis through a Shia–Sunni divide, saying the focus should remain on the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict.
Speaking exclusively with Shams Tabrez Qasmi, editor of Millat Times, Nomani said the attack reflected deeper international tensions and warned that sectarian debates at such a time would only weaken Muslim unity.
“This attack is not on Shiaism,” Nomani said. “It is an attack on Islam. Opening the door to Shia–Sunni disputes in this moment is extremely irresponsible.”
His comments come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after the reported strike that allegedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering reactions across the region and drawing concern from observers in India.
During the interview, Nomani questioned the motives behind the attack and suggested it could be linked to broader political calculations in Washington and Tel Aviv.
He said Iran had long faced pressure from the United States and Israel because it refused to align its policies with their strategic interests.
“Iran did not agree to bow before America and Israel,” Nomani said, referring to Tehran’s foreign policy stance over the years.
Nomani also argued that large international crises can sometimes overshadow other controversies dominating public debate. In this context, he referred to discussions surrounding documents connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, though he did not provide evidence linking the issue to the Iran conflict.
Responding to questions about how such a strike could have taken place, Nomani said Iran has faced long-standing security challenges, including alleged infiltration by foreign intelligence networks.
He referred to Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, claiming that foreign agents had been active inside Iran for years and were involved in earlier attacks on Iranian scientists and military officials.
Nomani also claimed that the strike occurred while Iranian leaders were gathered for discussions related to negotiations with the United States, though those claims could not be independently verified.
Regime change unlikely
Despite speculation that the attack could destabilise Iran’s political system, Nomani said he believed regime change was unlikely.
“I am not disappointed with the Iranian nation,” he said. “People have come out on the streets and expressed solidarity with their leadership.”
According to Nomani, such developments often strengthen national unity rather than weaken governments.
“I do not think attempts to change the regime will succeed,” he said.
Iran’s current political system was established after the Iranian Revolution, which replaced the monarchy with an Islamic republic.
Asked whether China and Russia might intervene more openly in support of Iran, Nomani expressed scepticism.
“These major powers act primarily on the basis of their national interests,” he said. “They may provide diplomatic backing, but a direct confrontation with the United States is unlikely.”
Nomani also highlighted Iran’s long-standing support for Palestinian groups, including Hamas.
He said Iran had extended political and military support to the group despite ideological differences between Iran’s Shia leadership and Hamas’s Sunni background.
Warning against sectarian tensions
Concluding the interview, Nomani urged Muslims not to let sectarian differences overshadow the current crisis.
“Theological debates between Shia and Sunni scholars exist, but they should remain academic discussions,” he said.
“At this time, whoever confronts injustice deserves sympathy,” Nomani added, reiterating that the crisis should not be reduced to sectarian identity but viewed in its wider political and humanitarian context.