New Delhi is planning to relocate some Indian students in Iran to “safer places” within the country, and is also exploring “other feasible options” for their safety, the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday. More than 1,500 Indian students, most of them from the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, are stranded in Iran, the NDTV news channel said on Monday.
Parents of the stranded Indian students have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, requesting their intervention to ensure the safe return of their children, local media said. Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion” on Friday against Iran, which retaliated with missiles attacks against the Jewish state. Since then, both countries have launched further missile barrages against each other.
The majority of Indian students in Iran, who are primarily pursuing medical degrees in cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Qom, are now awaiting assistance to return home, the NDTV news channel has reported. On Monday the Indian Embassy in Tehran said it is closely monitoring the security situation and is in constant touch with the students.
The embassy, which on Sunday, advised all Indian nationals and Persons of Indian Origin to remain vigilant, has provided a link to a Google Docs form on its X account to provide their contact details. The mission has also provided a link to a Telegram group and asked Indian citizens to join it to receive updates.
All flights to and from Iran have been suspended, with the country’s airspace remaining indefinitely closed for commercial aviation. According to a report by news magazine The Week, five Indian students, including three from Kashmir and two from Maharashtra, were injured in Israeli airstrikes. “Around 300 of us were shifted to a safer location, which I cannot reveal for security reasons,” a student was quoted as saying to the magazine.
New Delhi has requested that Tehran facilitates the safe evacuation of its stranded citizens. Iran said on Monday that although the country’s airspace is currently closed, all land borders remained open, allowing for safe evacuation. India enjoys warm ties with Iran’s neighbor Armenia, which is seen as a safe destination for Indian students.
