India Evacuates 110 Students from Iran Amid Escalating Conflict, Thousands Await Safe Return

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has relocated around 600 students from Tehran, a primary target of Israeli airstrikes, to Qom, located 150 km southwest

As the Israel-Iran conflict intensifies, India has successfully evacuated 110 Indian students, including 90 from Jammu and Kashmir, from Iran to Armenia, with a flight scheduled to land in Delhi at 10:15 PM tonight via Doha on IndiGo flight 6E 9483. The evacuation, facilitated by the Indian Embassy in Tehran, comes as part of urgent efforts to ensure the safety of approximately 6,000 Indian students among the 10,000 Indian nationals in Iran, many pursuing medical education due to affordable programs and simpler admission processes.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has relocated around 600 students from Tehran, a primary target of Israeli airstrikes, to Qom, located 150 km southwest, deemed safer despite occasional missile sounds. Iran has opened land borders with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan to aid evacuations, as its airspace remains closed. The Indian Embassy is coordinating with universities like Arak, Shiraz, and Urmia Medical University to facilitate safe relocations, with some students already moved from high-risk areas like Tehran and Isfahan.

Students have expressed fear amid the ongoing violence. Mehreen Zaffar, a medical student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, described the terror of air raid sirens and blackouts, pleading for swift evacuation. Faizan Nabi, a student at Kerman University, noted a less severe situation in Kerman but urged for rescue via the Afghanistan border. In Qom, Enam Ishfaq, a third-year MBBS student, reported relative calm but sought urgent evacuation. Two Kashmiri students sustained minor injuries from an Israeli strike near a Tehran hostel on June 15.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, led by Nasir Khuehami, confirmed the safe arrival of the 110 students in Yerevan, Armenia, with free travel arrangements, including Delhi-to-Srinagar flights for Kashmiri students, organized by the Indian government. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in close contact with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, emphasized prioritizing evacuations from danger zones. Community leaders, like Maulana Saif Abbas, have urged diplomatic corridors or airlifts, drawing parallels to India’s 2022 Ukraine evacuation.

The MEA has activated 24x7 helplines (+98-21-88755103/4/5, +98-991-360-7952) and a control room in New Delhi, advising those with personal transport to leave Tehran. With the conflict showing no signs of abating, India is exploring maritime evacuation routes via Bandar Abbas to bring the remaining students home safely.