SRINAGAR: In a major relief for worried families, at least 60 students from Jammu and Kashmir, along with pilgrims, are returning to India from Iran on two commercial flights scheduled to arrive at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early Saturday.
Most of the returning Indian nationals are students from Kashmir who were stranded amid escalating tensions in Iran. One group is travelling from Shiraz via Sharjah and is expected to land in Delhi around 2.40 am, while another flight from Tehran is scheduled to arrive shortly after midnight. A significant number of pilgrims are also on board these flights. All passengers are travelling at their own expense.
The return comes against the backdrop of an advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Iran, urging Indian citizens to leave the country in view of the deteriorating security situation. Students, pilgrims, businesspersons and tourists have been advised to use available commercial transport to exit Iran.
An estimated 1,800 to 2,000 students from Jammu and Kashmir are currently enrolled in medical and other academic institutions across various provinces of Iran, making the unfolding situation a source of acute anxiety for families back home.
On Thursday, parents of students studying in Iran gathered at the Divisional Commissioner’s office in Srinagar, where they submitted a memorandum seeking urgent government intervention. Many parents said communication with their children has become sporadic and unreliable.
“From here, we are unable to call them due to the absence of proper communication. From their side, calls rarely get connected. They are extremely scared,” said one parent. Families reported that markets and banks in parts of Iran are closed, leaving students without access to cash as financial transactions have come to a halt.
Describing the situation as “war-like,” parents appealed to the central government to take immediate steps to ensure the safe evacuation of the remaining students. They urged the Prime Minister, the External Affairs Minister, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate a coordinated evacuation effort, similar to measures taken during last year’s Iran–Israel crisis.
While the arrival of the first batch has brought some relief, families continue to press for a comprehensive evacuation plan to bring all stranded students safely back to their homes.
