Srinagar, Mar 12: The evacuation of Indian students from Iran has begun in phases amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with the first batch of students leaving the country through land routes connecting to neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan, media reports said.
According to reports, Indian students enrolled in various Iranian medical universities have started travelling by bus towards designated border points, from where they are expected to board flights to India. The movement is being coordinated as part of a phased repatriation effort.
Media reports said that the initial group includes students studying at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and Iran University of Medical Sciences. Many of them had earlier been relocated to the city of Qom to facilitate safety arrangements and streamline evacuation logistics.
Another group of students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences has also reportedly begun travelling towards the Armenia border as part of the evacuation process.
Officials familiar with the development said the Indian Embassy in Tehran is coordinating closely with authorities to facilitate the safe movement of students through both the Armenia and Azerbaijan routes before arranging their onward flights to India.
Reports said anxiety briefly spread among some students after notifications indicated that a few scheduled flights from Armenia had been cancelled. However, those assisting with coordination assured the students that the flights had been rescheduled and the evacuation plan remains in place.
As per reports, most of the students are expected to arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on March 15, while a smaller group may land a day earlier at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.
Families of the students have expressed relief over the start of the repatriation process and urged authorities to ensure the safe and timely return of the remaining students still in Iran, the reports added.
