.Summary of this article
Celebrations were witnessed across Kashmir after the declaration of a ceasefire by the US and Iran
After the war, Shias had also donated money and valuables to assist the people of Iran
Protests were witnessed in February after the US and Israel carried out military strikes, leading to retaliatory action by Iran
Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar, 25, erupted in joy after a ceasefire was declared by the US and Iran, halting the war that started on February 28, which also saw tit-for tat attacks by Israel on the military and civilian infrastructure in the West Asian country.
For Imtiyaz, a Shia Muslim, the ceasefire also meant that Iran emerged victorious. “It is a victory for us. The truce has come at Iran's own terms,” says Dar, a resident of North Kashmir’s Baramulla.
Celebrations were witnessed across Kashmir after the ceasefire, while people had earlier donated money and valuables to the war-affected people of Iran. On the first day of the joint military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28, massive protests were witnessed in several parts of Kashmir, with both men and women converging on the streets to demonstrate against the United States. In Srinagar’s commercial hub, Lal Chowk, people converged in thousands, while the members of the Shia community also protested the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Sunni Muslims also supported Iran, even when countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have also seen damage to their civilian infrastructure in the Iranian strikes. “This is a victory for all Muslims,” says Imtiyaz. Scenes of jubilation were witnessed as people burnt firecrackers to celebrate the truce while both men and women poured on the roads to take out victory processions leading to traffic jams. In the marches that were taken out, people were carrying the photographs of the deceased leader Khamenei.
“ It is like an Eid for us. We were in grief which ended after the victory of Iran in the war,” says Ghulam Mohammad Wani, a resident of Central Kashmir’s Budgam. Celebratory processions were carried out in Shia-dominated areas of Kashmir, including in the districts of Ganderbal, Srinagar, Baramulla, and Budgam. Earlier, people had collected donations from several Shia areas in Kashmir, which included cash, jewelry and household items to assist the people in the war-torn Iran. Auctions were held to collect the money in the Kargil district of the Ladakh Union territory as well.
Following the war, the Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian had issued an appeal urging people to make donations to the accounts of the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi. Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, general secretary, Aga Syed Mujtaba, earlier said that they made an appeal for the donations as the people in Iran have been “ battling the aggression launched on the country by Israel.” “We urged Kashmiris to donate generously and to express solidarity with the people of Iran. We even met the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in New Delhi, to express our support to the country in this hour of grief,” he added.
Last month, a delegation of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a conglomerate of religious organizations in Kashmir, led by its patron Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, met the Iranian Ambassador. The delegation conveyed condolences on the “martyrdom” of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , his family members, and other leadership and expressed deep solidarity with the people of Iran in their “hour of hardship.”
“On behalf of the people of Kashmir, the delegation stated that the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the prominent and respected leader of the Muslim Ummah, has deeply saddened them. They expressed serious concern and condemned the ongoing war imposed on Iran by the United States and Israel and hoped that diplomatic efforts would prevail to bring an end to this aggression, restoring peace and stability,” read a statement issued by the MMU.
“The delegation also highlighted the deep-rooted cultural, historical, and religious ties between Kashmir and Iran, noting that Kashmir has long been referred to as Iran-e-Sagheer (Little Iran), reflecting the enduring bonds between the people. MMU reiterated that unity, steadfastness, and collective prayers for peace are the need of the hour to face these challenges,” it added.
Several members of the Shia community said that they made the donations to Iran to help people deal with the war. Local residents of the Central Kashmir area of Chadoora said that they collected around Rs 2.5 lakh and donated it to the Iranian Embassy. “Some people in the locality even donated utensils, besides cash. We had set up a collection point in our locality, and people were urged to make generous donations,” said a local resident of Chadoora, on the condition of anonymity.
Budgam MLA, Muntazir Mehdi, also donated one month’s salary towards relief efforts in Iran. “I stand in solidarity with the people of Iran in this difficult time. As a small gesture of support, I am donating my one month’s salary towards relief efforts. Humanity must come before everything,” Muntazir earlier said in a post on X.
On Wednesday, the truce was welcomed also by political leaders in Kashmir, while the people asserted that Iran faced joint strikes by the US and Israel due to its continued support for Palestine. In a statement issued here today, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra, while welcoming the ceasefire said, that it is a “ prudent and timely step towards restoring stability in an increasingly fragile global environment.”
“This ceasefire reflects a growing global realization that sustainable peace cannot emerge from prolonged escalation, but from balanced engagement that respects sovereignty, acknowledges legitimate concerns, and preserves dignity,” the statement said.
Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) , chief spokesperson, Inam Un Nabi, while hailing the truce, said, “Violence is no way a solution to any issue. What the world has witnessed in recent days is only death, destruction, and fear. Such confrontations only deepen suffering and instability without bringing any real resolution.”
Amjad Ali, 23, a Baramulla resident, says that the truce was a welcome step and it will ensure that the loss of lives and the destruction of property stops. “War is not good for anybody, and people were dying from both sides while the property was getting damaged too. Ceasefire is a very good development,” he says.
Shabir Ahmad Wani, 60, a resident of Central Kashmir’s Chadoora, however, says that the war was a victory for Iran. “The US could do nothing and had to finally declare a truce. It is a big victory for the Muslims, and Iran was targeted by Israel as it is among the few countries to have denounced the aggression of Israel on the people of Palestine,” he says.