Amid mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran, a senior Iranian representative in New Delhi has alleged that the United States is deliberately stoking conflict to prevent emerging powers like India and China from reshaping the global order. The remarks add a fresh geopolitical dimension to the ongoing crisis, linking the US-Iran confrontation to broader power rivalries.

‘US wants to maintain dominance’

Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, special representative of the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to India, told news agency ANI that Washington’s long-term objective is to curb the rise of alternative global centres of power.

“In the near future, the world’s most powerful nations will be India, China, Russia and the United States. However, America does not want any partners; it does not want to see India or China emerge as powerful peers,” Ilahi said. He claimed that the US “instigates these wars” to stall this transition and retain its global supremacy. His comments come at a time when the United States and Iran remain locked in escalating hostilities, with both sides trading accusations over responsibility for the conflict. Ilahi asserted that the war was initiated by the US and Israel, not Iran, and maintained that Tehran is acting in self-defence.

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‘Two wars: military and narrative'

Ilahi further argued that Iran is fighting what he described as two parallel battles — a military confrontation and a “narrative war”. According to him, while Iran is capable of handling military pressure from the US and Israel, the larger challenge lies in countering what he called misinformation.

He alleged that adversaries are spreading “fake news” suggesting widespread public demand for regime change in Iran. “They are attacking us and bombing our civilians; we are simply defending ourselves,” he said, adding that if the US ends hostilities, Iran would reciprocate. The remarks echo earlier statements by senior Iranian figures, including Ali Larijani, who has similarly accused the US and Israel of aggression.

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Ilahi’s statements in New Delhi underline how the US-Iran conflict is increasingly being framed by Tehran not just as a regional clash but as part of a wider struggle over global power balance. As tensions persist, the rhetoric from both sides signals that the battle is being waged as much in diplomacy and perception as on the ground.