Ayatollah Khamenei's Historic 1981 Kashmir Visit Bridged Sectarian Divides

• In 1981, Ayatollah Khamenei visited Kashmir, two years after Iran's Islamic Revolution, fostering ties between Iran and India.
• The visit was initiated by Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq, a prominent Sunni leader, inviting Khamenei to Jamia Masjid, Srinagar.
• Khamenei, then a rising cleric, joined Sunni congregational prayers led by Mirwaiz Farooq at the 14th-century Jamia Masjid.
• This act of unity transcended sectarian lines, leaving a lasting mark and connecting revolutionary Iran with Kashmir.
• He also visited Imambara of Budgam and Hazratbal Shrine, meeting local leaders and scholars.