‘Mini Iran’ in Bengal worried over the fragile Israel-Iran truce

PANDAVESWAR, 27 JUNE

- KANCHAN SIDDIQUI

As uncertainty looms over the fragile truce in the Iran-Israel conflict, a ‘little Iran’ in West Bengal has erupted in protest, raising slogans such as ‘Hindustan zindabad, Israel murdabad’ (long live India, down with Israel).

Hassan Ali, speaking in Persian alongside fellow residents Shia Ali and Yashin Ali, expressed anger: “Iran is a strong nation. Israel and the US have unnecessarily tried to ruin the country and destroyed the homes of the poor. This will not be tolerated.”

Their outburst echoed across a small colony here, known as ‘little Iran’, situated on a piece of land gifted by the Iranian Embassy in 1995.

The residents, fluent in Persian, Bengali, and Hindi, have been chanting pro-India slogans since the ceasefire was announced: “Hindustan zindabad. Our people must remain grateful to the Indian government,” they declared.

Reacting to the US’s claim of enforcing the ceasefire, many in the colony remained sceptical. “The butchers can never bring peace. They are the root of all evils and this time they’ve been defeated,” said one local.

Photographs of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, adorn the doors of many homes in the colony.

Located around 25 km from Durgapur, Pandaveswar has been home to two Iranian settlements since the 1920s – in Mohal and Dalurbandh villages – where 210 Persian-speaking families reside.