Ayatollah Khamenei's old post praising Nehru's book goes viral after his death: ‘I didn’t know India…’

Khamenei’s reflections on Nehru’s book resurface online

Tensions in the Middle East have reached a new peak following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As per reports he was killed after military strikes attributed to the United States and Israel. The reports have drawn widespread international reaction.

In the wake of these events, Khamenei’s old posts about reading and literature, particularly his reflections on works by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, have gone viral.

Netizens revisited Khamenei’s writings and posts about literature, which have now gone viral across social media. Many highlighted his reflections on Nehru’s ‘Glimpses of World History’, demonstrating a side of Khamenei often overlooked.

Looking back at his posts from 2013, Khamenei shared his insights after reading Nehru’s work, noting the historical advances India had made before colonial rule, “Before studying Glimpses of World History by Mr Nehru, I didn’t know India before colonisation had undergone so many important advances.”

Before studying "Glimpses of World History" by Mr. #Nehru I didn't know #India before colonization had undergone so many important #advances

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) August 6, 2013

Later the same year, he reflected on the challenges India faced under British rule and the broader implications for global industrial growth, “Nehru, a trusted & informed person, says Indian industry wasn’t behind the UK’s but Britons barred local industrial growth away (from) Africa & Latin America.”

The courage to stand up against tyranny comes from Nehru. There’s no doubt that #Khamenei embraced martyrdom inspired by reading Nehru. Those who are used to surrendering can never truly understand sacrifice and bravery, and they will always despise Nehru. pic.twitter.com/IoEeNJkhWk — Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0 (@DrNimoYadav) March 1, 2026

In a post from 2021, he discussed how colonial powers had suppressed self-reliant nations and destroyed local industries, “There were great civilisations in Africa that were completely destroyed due to their neglect of their capabilities & due to the soft war the colonisers waged against them. In his memoirs, Nehru points to this fact & how the British destroyed the industry of self‑reliant India.”

An old video of Khamenei has resurfaced, in which he encouraged viewers to read Nehru’s book and learn from the historical context, “Do read this book – Glimpses of World History by Nehru. Unfortunately, you don’t read many books. This Glimpses of World History has been written by Nehru. He has explained in detail the process of the British invasion in India and the things the British carried out in India.”

ईरान के सर्वोच्च नेता अयातुल्ला अली खामेनेई ने एक स्पीच के दौरान लोगों से भारत के पहले प्रधानमंत्री पंडित जवाहर लाल नेहरू की किताब को पढ़ने का जिक्र किया। pic.twitter.com/WiqBcTvdl8

— Lutyens Media (@LutyensMediaIN) November 18, 2025

Khamenei also shared his interest in classic literature beyond history. He spoke about reading English novels, summarising their content for his followers, “I have read English summary of Jane Austen’s books, including Pride and Prejudice.”

I have read English summary of Jane Austen’s books including Pride and Prejudice. pic.twitter.com/O9urCRWCbB — Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) July 19, 2016

The novel’s story is about a couple in early 19th-century England who learn to overcome social expectations and personal pride. He also mentioned Russian literature, noting the works of Mikhail Sholokhov and Alexei Tolstoy as particularly noteworthy, “I’ve read many novels and poems. Abt Oct. Revolution, works of #Sholokhov or #AlexeiTolstoy are interesting.”

Meanwhile, Khamenei's death has triggered protests in several cities in Iran. He had been Iran’s supreme authority since 1989, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the Middle East. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has pledged strong retaliation, raising fears of wider conflict.