SRINAGAR: Hundreds of Kashmiri students studying medicine in Iran are living through what they call a “night of qayamah”, gripped by fear and uncertainty, as Iran reels from an unprecedented aerial onslaught by Israel. With the skies shut and borders sealed, these students are stranded in war-hit cities, pleading for urgent evacuation as their families in Kashmir grow increasingly frantic.
In a chilling message from inside Iran, a Kashmiri student wrote, “Hey there, hope you’re fine. Our embassy has no plans to evacuate us from this literal hell. Honestly, the bombardment started at 12 and till 4 in the morning it didn’t stop. What is the government doing? They are so nonchalant about the whole situation. It was literally a night of qayamah for us all.”
The emergency contact details of the Embassy:
+98 9128109115;
+98 9128109109 https://t.co/0ED6kugaFK— India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) June 13, 2025
The student, like many others studying across Iranian cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Qom, described scenes of panic and sleepless nights amid missile sirens and the constant sound of explosions. “We have no way out as of now, they aren’t willing to evacuate us through any border and the airspace is closed. Our families are going mad. We are personally so scared because there is uncertainty and chaos everywhere,” the student added.
The students’ ordeal comes as Iran and Israel spiral into direct confrontation. On Friday, Israel launched what is being described as its most extensive military operation inside Iranian territory, targeting over 100 locations, including nuclear sites and command centres. According to NDTV and Reuters, Israeli strikes destroyed major infrastructure in Isfahan and reportedly killed at least nine nuclear scientists, six senior military officials, and over 70 civilians.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retribution, accusing Israel of initiating a war and launching “a wicked and blood-stained hand” against Iran. In retaliation, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, causing at least three deaths and several injuries, reported Reuters.
Iranian state media IRNA confirmed that a 14-storey residential building, Shahid Chamran Complex in Tehran, was flattened by Israeli strikes, reportedly killing 60 people, including 20 children. Explosions were heard across the capital, including near the civilian-military Mehrabad Airport.
In a massive response to Israel’s Friday airstrikes, Iran launched a barrage of over 200 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel on Saturday. According to Reuters, explosions rocked Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, killing at least three civilians and injuring dozens more.
Air raid sirens blared across Israeli cities as the Iron Dome missile defence system worked through the night to intercept incoming threats. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “no mercy” and framed the retaliation as a direct answer to what he called a “criminal Israeli assault” on Iranian sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials warned that allied bases of Israel in the region would also be targeted if the strikes continued. In one instance, missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi group, an Iranian ally, reportedly misfired, injuring five Palestinians in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials said their attack was meant to thwart what they called Iran’s final steps toward building a nuclear weapon. Brigadier General Effie Defrin of the Israeli military said, “The road to Iran has been paved,” following the strikes that disabled Iran’s air defences.
As Iran’s skies remain hostile and its land borders militarised, Indian students, especially Kashmiris, feel abandoned. No official plan for evacuation has yet been announced by the Indian government or its embassy in Tehran, despite escalating violence. Students say the embassy has remained unresponsive to their pleas for assistance.
“There is no corridor for us, no communication from the Indian mission. Families are panicking back home. They don’t know if we’ll survive the next strike,” said another student via text message.
India has so far not issued any public statement on the fate of its citizens in Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs is yet to comment officially on the number of Indians stranded or on possible evacuation efforts. Earlier, they were informed that they should remain ready for evacuation, if required. This message was uploaded on the social media accounts of the Indian embassy in Iran.
The global reaction to the conflict has been immediate. Former US President Donald Trump hailed Israel’s attack as “excellent”, warning Iran of more devastation if it does not accept US nuclear demands, according to ABC News. Meanwhile, Gulf Arab states have appealed for restraint, fearing regional escalation and threats to their oil infrastructure.
But in Tehran and across Iran, peace seems far off for now. Israel has warned of more strikes, while Iranian state television says its forces will target US and Israeli military bases across the Middle East if the attacks continue.
Back in the dormitories and basements where Kashmiri students now take shelter, the night remains long and sleepless.
“We didn’t come here to become victims of war. We came to study, to heal lives. Now we’re just praying to stay alive,” one of them wrote.
