3 min readJammuUpdated: Mar 5, 2026 08:21 PM IST
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday expressed concern over the sinking of an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, saying the vessel and its crew were “guests of India since they were here for a multilateral naval exercise”.
The incident has caused anxiety in J&K as many residents — including students — are currently in Iran, he told media persons after a function at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at Miran Sahiba, near here.
Describing the attack on the Iranian vessel as “unfortunate”, Abdullah said that “in some way, our country is also being dragged into this situation”.
“What happens in the future is beyond my jurisdiction,” he added.
Pointing out that his government is coordinating with the Centre to ensure the safety of people from Jammu and Kashmir staying in Iran, he said it is working to formulate a programme to bring them home safely.
Abdullah, who had Wednesday met religious leaders and members of civil society in Srinagar, also appealed to the people in J&K to maintain calm amid the evolving situation.
“The elements trying to disturb the atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir should not be allowed to take advantage of the situation,” he added.
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Meanwhile, National Conference president and former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah condemned the US-Israel strikes on Iran, warning that the ongoing conflict may escalate, possibly to a Third World War.
The impact of this ongoing war could be felt across the world in the coming days, he told the media at the Katra Railway Station before boarding the Vande Bharat Express to Srinagar. “It may lead to something bigger, and in the end, it can start a Third World War. We do not know about it,” he said, adding the situation should be handled with responsibility.
Pointing out that no country has the right to enforce its control over another sovereign nation, he described the US-Israel attack on Iran as “wrong”. It is wrong to invade any other country as no country has the right to enforce its control over another nation, he said, adding that they have done it with Venezuela also. “It’s unfortunate,” he added.
He said there is anger among Muslims, adding that protests should remain peaceful.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran Ship (IRIS) Dena, an Iranian frigate that had recently participated in India’s flagship MILAN naval exercise, was sunk by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka’s coast on March 4. It came amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and days after IRIS Dena participated in India’s International Fleet Review (IFR) at Visakhapatnam.
The conflict — and the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israel strikes — has sparked protests in J&K, prompting the government to impose restrictions, including ordering the closure of schools and colleges till March 7.
