Indian students in Tehran are being relocated to Qom, 148 km distant, due to rising tensions between Israel and Iran. This follows a statement from the Indian government early Monday, which assured that students in the troubled nation were being moved to “safer locations” within the country.
Over 1,500 Indian students, primarily from Jammu and Kashmir, are stuck in Iran.
India has also asked Iran for the secure evacuation of its students trapped in areas affected by Israeli bombings. Tehran stated that while the airspace is closed over Iran, all land borders remain open for the secure evacuation of Indian citizens.
“Considering the present situation and the shutdown of the nation’s airports, along with numerous political missions seeking to move their diplomats and citizens overseas, we announce that all land borders are accessible for crossing,” the Foreign Ministry of Iran said in a statement.
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It also requested that the Indian government provide the names, passport details, and vehicle specifications of individuals crossing the borders to its General Protocol Department. It also inquired about the travel time and the preferred border for exiting the country, to facilitate the safe travel of diplomats and other citizens.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of Jammu and Kashmir communicated with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about students from the Union Territory stranded in Iran.
Students from Kashmir are enrolled in different universities throughout Iran, including Shahid Beheshti University and Iran University of Medical Sciences.
Imtisal Mohidin, a 22-year-old third-year MBBS student at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University, mentioned that more than 350 Indian students are studying at his university.
