India relocates its citizens, students in Iran as Israel strikes rock Tehran

The Indian government is moving certain Indian students in Iran to safer locations due to ongoing Israeli strikes and is considering “other viable alternatives” to guarantee the safety of Indians, the external affairs ministry announced on Monday.

The ministry stated that the Indian embassy is communicating with leaders of the Indian community about the safety and welfare of Indian nationals.

“In some cases, students are being relocated with [the] Embassy’s facilitation to safer places within Iran. Other feasible options are also under examination. Further updates will follow,” the ministry said.

Currently, over 4,000 Indian nationals reside in Iran, with approximately half being students. A significant number of Indian students in Iran hail from Jammu and Kashmir and are pursuing medical and various professional studies. Kashmiri students commonly choose Iranian universities due to their cost-effectiveness and comparable cultural environment. The students are distributed among cities like Tehran, Shiraz, and Qom.

Several individuals took part in the demonstration in Srinagar on Sunday, calling on the government to repatriate Indian students from Iran. They mentioned that several students were in cities hit by Israeli attacks.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah mentioned in a social media message on Sunday that he had a conversation with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, who is presently traveling with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a trip to Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia, about the situation in Iran, focusing on the welfare and safety of Kashmiri students.

Abdullah mentioned that Jaishankar guaranteed him the external affairs ministry is in direct communication with its Iranian counterpart and “will take all essential measures to protect all Indian students in Iran.”

He said in a separate social media post that any decision to evacuate Indian students from Iran “will be taken based on the ground situation keeping the safety & security of these students as the primary consideration”. He added: “As a parent I assure all the concerned parents of my government’s close & continuous attention to this important developing situation.”