1 hour ago
3
ARTICLE AD BOX
2 min readMar 18, 2026 08:50 PM IST
Iran’s powerful national security advisor Ali Ardeshir Larijani was killed by Israel on Monday night. (Source: X/@alilarijani_ir)
The chief cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq has strongly condemned the killing of Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, by Israel.
“The resilience of the people of Iran and their leadership reflects the spirit of a true Muslim nation — courageous, steadfast, and with resolute faith in Almighty Allah,” he said, adding that such people “deserve to lead.”
On Wednesday, Mirwaiz was restricted from leading prayers at a mosque in central Srinagar. He was also restricted from leaving his residence to lead prayers on the last Friday of Ramzan and the Shab-e-Qadr prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, over the past week.
Mirwaiz said that the “fearful rulers of this police state have, by force, once again kept him away from the House of God in the holy month of Ramzan, placing him under house arrest.”
He has also called out the “shrinking of space for religious practices.” Since 2019, Eid prayers have not been allowed at the Jamia Masjid and there are also apprehensions that they may not be allowed again on the approaching Eid-ul Fitr, Mirwaiz said.
Over the past seven years, during the month of Ramzan, while sometimes Friday prayers have been allowed, congregational prayers have not been allowed on Jumat-ul vida or the last Friday of Ramzan.
Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·