Iran Condemns Trump's 'Hell-Hole' Comments on India

Iran's diplomatic missions in India have intensified their criticism of former US President Donald Trump following his endorsement of comments labelling India as a 'hell-hole on the planet.' This backlash was shared on social media platforms, highlighting the cultural richness of India. The Iranian Consulate in Mumbai responded with a post suggesting a 'cultural detox' for Trump. The message read, 'Maybe someone should book a one-way cultural detox for Mr Trump. It might just reduce the random bakwaas (nonsense). Come visit India and see it yourself, then speak.' This sentiment was reiterated by the Iranian Consulate in Hyderabad, which amplified the tweet and celebrated the everyday experiences available in Mumbai. The consulate noted, 'Tea with bun maska, vada pav, and pav bhaji that could fix a bad day in three bites.' It further expressed, 'I believe in 'roti and respect', but stepping into South India is a whole different league; it feels like India unlocked its 'heaven mode'. Trust me, it is even more beautiful.' The Indian government also reacted strongly to the controversy. It condemned Trump's endorsement of the remarks, labelling them as 'uninformed, inappropriate, and in poor taste.' The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stressed that these comments do not reflect the true nature of India-US ties. 'We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests,' Jaiswal stated. The incident gained traction after Trump shared content from conservative radio host Michael Savage on Truth Social, which included the claim that countries such as India and China are 'hell-holes on the planet' while criticising birthright citizenship in the United States. In his Savage Nation podcast, Savage argued against the Citizenship Clause that grants citizenship to most children born on US soil, suggesting that it is exploited by immigrants from countries like India and China. He stated that a US-born child leads to family members migrating from these countries. Savage’s comments included the claim that 'A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring in their entire family from China, or India or some other hell-hole on the planet.' Trump not only reposted this statement but also included a video clip from Savage's podcast discussing the role of the US Supreme Court in determining birthright citizenship law and voiced a preference for a national referendum on the issue. The accompanying letter described Indian and Chinese immigrants derogatorily as 'gangsters with laptops' who have 'stepped on our flag.' Earlier in the day, India had indicated its discontent with Trump's remarks without directly criticising him. Jaiswal hinted at this with his comment, 'We’ve seen some reports. That’s where I’ll leave it.' In response to the uproar following Trump’s repost, the US Embassy issued a clarification aimed at reaffirming the strong ties with New Delhi, stating, 'The President has said 'India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top.'' Trump’s sharing of Savage’s comments comes amidst ongoing legal battles regarding birthright citizenship. His administration is challenging judicial rulings that blocked an executive order aiming to limit automatic citizenship for certain US-born children. This order, issued shortly after Trump resumed office in January 2025, primarily targets children born to parents residing in the US illegally or temporarily, leading to various legal challenges and some courts deeming it unconstitutional.