A diplomatic storm has erupted between India and Iran after retired Indian Army officer and television commentator Major Gaurav Arya hurled a communal slur at Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, calling him a “son of a pig” in a YouTube broadcast. The slur has drawn strong backlash as it has Islamophobic connotations.
Gaurav Arya, a retired Major who frequently appears on Indian news debates as a defence expert, made the remark in a video posted on May 8 in his channel Chanakya Dialogues, while ‘Operation Sindoor’ was underway.
In the video titled “Indian Army Strikes Back, Pakistan is Burning,” he was explaining Iran’s intervention in the matter of India-Pakistan tensions, when he launched a scathing personal attack on the Iranian Foreign Minister.
Arya lashed out at Iran’s involvement in India-Pakistan affairs. He also went on to highlight Aragchi’s face on the screen and wrote ‘PIG’ on it, and accused the Iranian diplomat of meddling with India’s affairs.
He further argued that any diplomatic dialogue should have been held with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, not during India’s military response.
On May 8, Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi had held a dialogue with both India and Pakistan following tensions between the two countries.
Arya also insinuated religious motivations behind Iran’s outreach to Pakistan, suggesting that Iran intervened because “they are both Muslim countries”. He concluded his tirade with a provocative warning: “Don’t come pleading when Jews and Americans jointly attack you in Tehran.”
The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi responded sharply, saying, “Respect for guests is a long-standing tradition in Iranian culture. We Iranians consider our guests to be ‘beloved by God.’ How about you?”
Caught in the diplomatic crossfire, the Indian government swiftly distanced itself from Arya’s remarks. The Indian Embassy in Tehran issued a statement clarifying that Arya is a private individual and that his views do not represent India’s official position.
“The Indian government finds the disrespectful tone used in the video inappropriate,” the Embassy said, seeking to defuse tensions.
However, Arya remained defiant amid growing backlash. In a follow-up response, he doubled down on his comments, claiming he had spoken the “truth” and dismissing the possibility of government action against him.
“I am not a Pakistani that my government will take action against me for speaking out, especially when it is the TRUTH. If Iran’s foreign minister has any problem, he can discuss it with Gen Asim Munir,” Arya said, referring to Pakistan’s Army Chief Munir in a pointed and provocative jibe.
On May 7, India launched precision strikes against nine terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’, following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed. Subsequently, Pakistan carried out a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Indian defence systems and civilian areas. After three days of intense military standoff, both the countries reached for a ceasefire on May 10.
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