Srinagar, June 17: Around 110 Indian students, including 90 from Kashmir Valley, studying at Urmia Medical University in Iran, have safely crossed the Iranian border into Armenia.
Family members of several students said they expect to reach Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, by around 12 or 1 PM local time. From there, they will head to a designated location where they will stay until their repatriation flight to New Delhi, scheduled for tomorrow.
The evacuation has come as a huge sigh of relief for the anxious families of these students in Kashmir, who had been deeply worried over their children’s safety in the backdrop of a potential military escalation between Israel and Iran.
“This has been the most stressful period of our lives. We are just thankful they’re safe now,” said an emotional parent from Srinagar whose daughter is among the evacuees.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement, said the Indian Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance.
“Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy,” it said.
Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city, given the developing situation, it said.
Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia, the MEA said, adding that further advisories may be issued given the fluid situation, it said.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University, 90 of them from the Kashmir Valley, have safely crossed the border into Armenia.
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Iran said, “All Indian Nationals and PIOs who can move out of Tehran using their resources are advised to move to a safe location outside the city.”.
In another statement, the MEA said a 24×7 control room has been established in the ministry, given the ongoing developments in Iran and Israel.
The contact details of the control room are as under: 1800118797 (toll-free) +91-11-23012113 +91-11-23014104 +91-11-23017905 +91-9968291988 (WhatsApp) situationroom@mea.gov.in.
In addition, the Embassy of India in Tehran has set up a 24×7 emergency helpline, the MEA said, and shared contact details.
“For calls only: +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109; For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709; Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036; Zahedan: +98 9396356649; cons.tehran@mea.gov.in (email),” it said.