As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues his visit to India, the top diplomat visited the Taj Mahal in Agra. However, Rubio’s visit did not go unnoticed, especially with Iran jumping in to taunt the US official.
Taking to X, the Consulate General of Iran in Hyderabad was quick to take a swipe at Rubio’s visit to the UNESCO world heritage site, amid the ongoing war between the US and Tehran.
Reacting to the photographs posted by Rubio and his wife in front of the Taj Mahal, the consulate drew the Iranian connect to the monument and stated that if Rubio “knew the history or architecture, he wouldn’t have posed for a picture here.”
“This monument was built out for the love of emperor’s Iranian wife, crafted by the genius of Iranian architects — meanwhile his government today threatens to wipe out Iranian civilization, insulting other civilizations,” the consulate wrote further.
The post comes as delegations from Iran and the US remain locked in negotiations for a peace deal to end the ongoing conflict.
The swipe at Rubio also highlights Persia’s influence on Mughal architecture in India.
The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who was of Persian heritage. The monument is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture and includes strong Persian artistic influences.
As per Britannica, thousands of workers were employed from India, Persia and other places to complete the mausoleum, the adjunct buildings, and ornamentation work for the Taj Mahal.
According to the official website run by the Uttar Pradesh government, throughout the complex, passages from the Quran have also been used as decorative elements.
Rubio, who is on a three-day visit to India, referred to the Taj Mahal as “One of the wonders of the world”.
