Why India Forgot the Other Koh-i-Noors
One diamond became a symbol of British colonialism. But priceless other jewels ended up somewhere else entirely.
During King Charles’s April 2026 visit to New York City, a journalist asked Mayor Zohran Mamdani what he’d say to the British ruler. Mamdani was blunt: give back the Koh-i-Noor. The diamond’s journey, from a Punjabi king’s surrender to a British crown, is a story most know.
But what we often forget is that the Koh-i-Noor was only a small part of a treasure trove of jewels stolen from India. Where are the rest today? The answer might surprise you: Iran. The country’s currency isn’t backed by gold, but partly by a vast collection of jewels, most of which were once looted from Delhi. So how did India’s pride become Iran’s treasury?