Iran on Thursday called India and China “cradles of civilisation” after US President Donald Trump shared the transcript of a talk show, which referred to the two Asian countries as “hellholes.”

“China and India are the cradles of civilisation,” the Iranian embassy in Hyderabad wrote on X. “In fact, the #hellhole is where its war-criminal president threatened to decimate the civilization in Iran.”

This was in reference to when Trump warned that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran did not agree to his terms to end the war that the US started and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump made the remark ahead of a deadline he set for Tehran.

Iran’s recent reaction came after Trump posted a transcript from a conservative talk show hosted by Michael Savage, who was speaking against US birthright citizenship. Savage said that people allegedly arrive in the US late in pregnancy and gain automatic citizenship for their child, later bringing in family members from countries including India and China. He referred to these countries as “some other hellhole on the planet.”

He also claimed that immigration patterns were changing US society and criticised the US Constitution, saying it was outdated and not suited for modern conditions like air travel and the internet.

He also suggested that the immigrant class lacks loyalty to the United States.

Savage said such policy issues should not be left to courts or lawyers, but decided by public vote, suggesting that public opinion should shape citizenship laws instead. He also criticised the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and accused it of supporting policies that favour undocumented immigrants. He called ACLU lawyers “gangsters with laptops” and blamed them for harming the country.

The issue is linked to an ongoing legal and political debate in the US over birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship to most people born on US soil. The Trump administration has challenged this interpretation, and the matter is currently before the US Supreme Court.

New Delhi maintains strong ties with the US, while Beijing has formal diplomatic relations with Washington. The two countries are now indirectly bearing the cost of the US war on Iran.

US pressure on Iran through a naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz is affecting global energy markets and adding strain to relations with China and India.

India, heavily dependent on imported energy, is exposed to supply risks as Gulf flows tighten. China is seen as better protected due to large oil reserves and a diversified energy mix, while India faces greater vulnerability, especially in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies.