More than 35 Kashmiri students studying in Iran have returned to India over the past two days via commercial flights, officials said, easing concerns among families in Jammu and Kashmir amid continued advisories for Indian nationals.
The students travelled on two commercial flights. One group flew from Shiraz to Sharjah before connecting onward to Delhi, while another group returned directly from Tehran to Delhi, officials said.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran said it facilitated the students’ movement to airports and ensured their safety during departure. “Embassy officials remain in contact with Indian nationals, particularly students, and are monitoring the situation closely,” officials said.
Most of the students returned at their own expense after advisories urged Indian nationals to utilise available commercial flight options. India has not activated a formal evacuation mechanism so far, officials said, adding that students would be informed through official channels if the situation warranted such a step.
Students who returned said they did not face major difficulties during their stay. A medical student from Shiraz said limited internet connectivity had caused uncertainty. “The internet was not working, so we did not know exactly what was happening elsewhere. But the city we were staying in was largely calm,” she said.
Families gathered at Srinagar Internation Airport to receive their relatives. Several families said anxiety peaked during the internet shutdown in parts of Iran but eased once communication from the Indian Embassy resumed.
“There was anxiety because communication had broken down, but once we heard from the embassy, we felt reassured,” said Abbas Qazmi, whose mother and aunt returned from Iran this week.
Officials said more students are expected to return in the coming days as commercial flights continue to operate. The Ministry of External Affairs has advised Indian citizens not to travel to Iran and urged those currently there to leave through available commercial means if feasible.
According to the MEA, around 9,000 Indian nationals, most of them students, are presently in Iran. The country has witnessed weeks of economic protests, some of which turned violent, leading authorities to impose internet shutdowns in several areas.