Last Updated:March 01, 2026, 20:01 IST

Government sources said while India’s security front remains calm, there are grave concerns that oil prices will witness a sharp surge as the Middle East crisis escalates

Top Indian government sources said the Iran attack targeted a high-level leadership summit, successfully striking Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his inner circle. (Image: PTI/File)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in military strikes, was always the target for the United States and Israel even as backchannel talks through the Middle East over the nuclear deal failed days before the Iran attack, Indian government sources said.

Top government sources told News18 that while India’s security front remains calm, there are grave concerns over a sharp rise in global energy costs. As the conflict escalates, oil prices are expected to surge potentially destabilising the global economy.

According to the government sources, the coordinated strikes by the US and Israel, which reportedly involved the dropping of over 30 bombs, targeted a high-level leadership summit successfully striking Khamenei and his inner circle.

The sources said this escalation immediately followed the dramatic collapse of high-stakes nuclear negotiations in Geneva, which had been mediated by Oman as recently as last week. They said the US and Israel viewed Khamenei as the ultimate obstacle to regional security and the primary barrier to curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, whereas for the US, he was always a “non-negotiable target”.

Diplomatic efforts in Geneva, the sources said, failed to reach a breakthrough with significant differences remaining over uranium enrichment, the dismantling of nuclear sites, and the transfer of materials abroad. While the US demanded the total dismantling of Iran’s nuclear weapons potential, including halting enrichment beyond civilian levels, Iran rejected these key demands, leading to a total diplomatic rupture. Khamenei was “never a negotiable option” and the failure of the Middle East backchannel only days prior to the strike paved the way for this military operation, they added.

SCHOOLS, COLLEGES CLOSED IN J&K TO MAINTAIN ORDER

In wake of Khamenei’s killing, a wave of intense mourning and large-scale protests erupted across the globe, reflecting the deep religious and political resonance of his leadership.

The reaction was particularly fervent across India and Pakistan, where Shia communities have taken to the streets to express their anger against the US and Israel.

In India, Jammu and Kashmir education minister Sakina Itoo said the authorities have taken the preemptive step of closing all schools and colleges to maintain order. In Srinagar, however, protests remained largely peaceful with participants carrying black flags and portraits of Khamenei whilst chanting traditional mourning prayers (nauha).

Demonstrations were also recorded outside the United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) headquarters in Srinagar. In the capital, the All India Shia Council held a significant protest at Jantar Mantar raising slogans against the targeted strikes. Similar scenes were observed in Lucknow, where Nisar Hussain Hyder Agha of the All India Shia Majalis-E-Ulema-Wa-Zakireen condemned the attack as an act of aggression.

The situation, however, turned lethal in Pakistan where protests devolved into violent clashes. In Karachi, angry demonstrators attempted to storm the US consulate, leading to a confrontation with security forces that resulted in more than 10 fatalities after soldiers opened fire.

In Skardu, meanwhile, a United Nations office was set ablaze by protesters. As Pakistani forces continue to confront demonstrators, the international community remains on high alert for further escalations in what is being described as a primary challenge to global stability.

(With agency inputs)

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