How Indian students are navigating Iran's unrest amidst curfews, internet ban, closed campus

One hand reaches out, the phone is angled towards the sky to get the weakest signal, one bar, two bars, any signal at all. Near the high iron fence that separates Iran and Iraq, Indian students congregate around their devices, typing very fast to send messages to their worried parents who are so far away, thousands of kilometers. Some of them are walking up and down nervously, their voices are tense and rapid, and their eyes are glued to their phones as if to the only brief, unreliable moments of connectivity.

With internet services suspended across large swathes of Iran and an 8 pm curfew clearing streets in several cities, Indians, many of them students from Jammu and Kashmir enrolled at universities near the Iraqi border, were left dependent on such patchy connectivity, said Mohammad Momin Khan, vice-president of the J&K All India Medical Students Association, according to a report by TOI.

Khan, who has been coordinating with both students and parents, said a WhatsApp group was set up to account for those in Iran and circulate verified updates. “Parents were panicking because they had no direct way to contact their children. The group helped reassure families that the students were safe.”

Around 9, 000 Indians are living in Iran, mostly students. Of these, some 2, 000 from Jammu and Kashmir are pursuing medical studies.

Due to the political turmoil and fear of violence, many educational institutions in different areas have been closed and exams have beenIndianStudentsInIran postponed. So, on top of the disruption to their academic schedules, students also have to worry about their safety. The first group of Indian students and pilgrims were brought by the commercial flights which arrived at Delhi early Saturday morning. 

Still, the combination of protests, internet shutdowns, curfews and closure of campuses created a feeling of insecurity. Many pointed out that their return was more due to the general uncertainty which is the bigger problem, rather than an immediate threat to their lives.

It was announced by the Indian embassy in Tehran that formal evacuation operations are still suspended while the officials are continuously evaluating the situation.

According to the association, the embassy officials are communicating with the students in Iran and have given them their word they will be informed through official channels if an evacuation is required.