The air in Iran’s holy city of Qom carries many scents these days — smoke from recent attacks, dust from restless streets, and the sharp bitterness of a nation living under the shadow of war. But amid the tension, another fragrance quietly drifts through the crowds gathering every evening: chilled Indian sharbat.
As thousands of Iranians pour onto the streets after sunset — some protesting, some mourning, some simply searching for solidarity — a small roadside stall has begun drawing unusual attention. Above it flutters the Indian tricolour. Behind it stand young Indian students, researchers, and businessmen, handing out glasses of pineapple sharbat to exhausted strangers under the blazing summer heat.
