Over 100 Indian Students Evacuated from Tehran Amid Israel-Iran Conflict

The Indian government is acting swiftly to ensure the safety of its citizens and students in Tehran. In a significant move, over 100 students were moved out of Tehran in the last 48 hours. Many of them are said to have already crossed the Iran-Armenia border and are preparing to return home. This order was passed due to the increasing security threat because of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The government has also advised its self-sufficient citizens in Tehran to leave the city.

The Embassy of India in Tehran, in close coordination with Iranian authorities, has helped in shifting the students of high-risk areas of Tehran to safer cities like Qom that are approximately 150km. Qom, with its religious significance and relative safety, has become a temporary refuge of around 600 Indian students. On the other side, 110 students (including many medical students of Kashmir and other Indian states) who crossed over the border to the Armenian side will soon take a flight to Delhi.

As per the Indian officials, There were 10,000 Indian nationals in Iran of which 6000 were Indian students when the clash happened. The government of India said, "The embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance. Further advisories may be issued given the fluid situation."

To guide the process, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has established a 24/7 control room in New Delhi to keep track of the situation and make evacuation arrangements. The embassy is also making advisories requesting all Indian nationals in Tehran to relocate to safer grounds at their own means where possible, and stay in contact with the embassy officials further to assist them.

Tehran air evacuation was impossible since the Iranian airspace had been closed as a result of the conflict. Consequently, the Indian government decided to use the land route through Armenia, the country bordering Iran and has good relations with India. They have taken this path as a preferred method of safe escape, similar to land evacuation during the Ukrainian evacuations in the mission called Operation Ganga.

Indian students in Tehran reported being in fear and in most cases forced to stay in the basements with little communication because of poor internet connection. Mehreen Zaffar, a medical student living in Tehran told the news agency PTI in a voice full of fear, “We are scared. We have been calling for help but nothing is happening.” She also said, “Iran is on black alert. We don’t know what is happening.” Mahreen then described how they had to be in the basement with no communication. 

Mahreen is one of those 70 students stuck in the warzone waiting to be rescued. For these students, the Indian embassy and the Indian government  are the only hope that can help them return home safely. “We have full hopes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” She further said. 

Huzaif Malik, a student far from the warzone in Urmia said, “we were in Urmia which was relatively safe. We have reached Armenia.” Another student named Faizan Nabi from Kerman University of Medical Sciences said, “The situation is not bad here as in Tehran. But there is still fear and we are hoping that we will be relocated soon.” 

As per the report received from Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, the students have safely reached Yerevan which is Armenia’s capital city.

There have been numerous reports of relief at being relocated to safer areas but calls of an outright evacuation back to India remain. The situation is still strained and parents in India are waiting desperately to hear about the safety of their children.