Israel-Iran conflict: India tells its nationals to leave Tehran, over 100 students cross over to Armenia

Armenia is one of Iran’s neighbouring countries that Delhi is in touch with. India doesn’t have amicable ties with some of the other countries bordering Iran — Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, after the recent Op Sindoor, where both Ankara and Baku were seen to be siding with Islamabad.

Besides Armenia, Turkmenistan and Iraq are the other neighbouring countries of Iran with whom India has amicable ties; it doesn’t have formal diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. It also has the Persian Gulf route, from where it can evacuate Indians through ships or via Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

With such complex regional dynamics at play, Delhi is considering tapping all its diplomatic relationships — in case, it has to evacuate more Indians — if the escalation becomes life-threatening for Indians in Iran.

As a first step, it had started collecting details of Indians stranded in Iran, through social media and other channels, over the last few days, and has set up a control room in Delhi.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement: “Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy”. It said the Indian Embassy remains in touch with the community and is prepared to extend all feasible assistance.

Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of 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 as per the fluid situation.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, 110 Indian students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences, including 90 from Kashmir, 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 own 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 in view of the ongoing developments in Iran and Israel. The contact details of the control room are: 1800118797 (toll-free) +91-11-23012113 +91-11-23014104 +91-11-23017905 +91-9968291988 (Whatsapp) situationroom@mea.gov.in.

In addition, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has set up a 24×7 emergency helpline, the MEA said. “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.