A delegation comprising several religious bodies in Kashmir on Friday called upon the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi to convey condolences over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and to express solidarity with the people of the Islamic Republic.The delegation of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) was led by its patron and Kashmir’s chief preacher Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.“A delegation of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) met the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, and other officials in New Delhi today,” the office of the Mirwaiz said in a statement.It said the delegation conveyed heartfelt condolences on the “martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family members and other leadership and expressed deep solidarity with the people of Iran in their hour of invasion and 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,” the statement said.The delegation expressed serious concern and condemned the ongoing war imposed on Iran by Israel and the United States, and expressed hope that diplomatic efforts will prevail to bring “an end to this aggression, restoring peace and stability”.The US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28 and the retaliation by the Islamic nation extended the war to the entire Gulf region.The US-Israel attack killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The joint strikes came after days of build-up, with US President Donald Trump ramping up the pressure on Tehran to agree to a new deal on its nuclear programme.The conflict has also taken a major toll on energy supply chains, especially across the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, 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 two peoples, the statement said.The MMU delegation reiterated that unity, steadfastness and collective prayers for peace are “the need of the hour for the ummah to face these challenges”, it added.