Altaf condemns alleged U.S. attack on Iranian naval ship; calls for UN Inquiry
LONDON. [UK]., March 5, 2026:
The Founding Leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain, has strongly criticized the alleged attack by a U.S. submarine that destroyed an Iranian naval vessel and resulted in the deaths of more than 80 personnel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.
In a statement issued from London, Hussain said the Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena had participated in the multinational maritime drills Milan 2026, hosted by India in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam. The exercises included participation from several countries such as Iran, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, and Oman, with India serving as the host nation.
According to Hussain, after the conclusion of the naval drills and while the participating vessels were returning to their respective countries, the United States and Israel allegedly launched a series of aggressive and unprovoked strikes against Iran on February 28, 2026.
He claimed that these attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 200 schoolgirls and around 40 senior political and military figures, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Hussain stated that India was fully aware that the Iranian naval vessel had taken part in the drills under its hospitality and had departed for Iran after the exercises.
He argued that once the attacks on Iran began, it became India’s responsibility to immediately inform the United States and Israel that the Iranian ship which had participated as a guest in India’s naval exercise, was returning home and should not be targeted until it safely reached its destination.
Expressing regret, he said that even days after the conflict began, India did not convey this information to Washington or Tel Aviv.
As the host nation of the exercise, Hussain said, India had a civilizational, moral, and humanitarian duty to ensure that the returning Iranian vessel remained unharmed.
He added that any attack on the ship should have been considered an attack on India itself.
The MQM Supremo described India’s failure to take such steps as serious negligence. While he placed primary responsibility for the attack and the deaths of the Iranian naval personnel on the United States, he said India could not fully absolve itself of responsibility.
He also stressed that attacking a nation’s naval vessel in international waters constitutes a serious violation of international law.
He called upon the United Nations Secretary-General and senior international officials to immediately establish an independent commission to investigate the destruction of the Iranian naval vessel and the deaths of more than 80 Iranian naval officers and sailors.
He urged that the findings of the investigation be presented transparently to the global community.