Govt Cooperating a Lot: Indian Nationals Return from Iran

This comes after the Indian government advised its nationals in Iran to leave the country due to the volatile security situation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is closely monitoring developments and is committed to ensuring the well-being of Indian citizens.

An Indian national who returned from Iran described the situation as grim and thanked the government for its support. “The conditions are bad there. The Government of India is cooperating a lot, and the Embassy provided us with information on leaving Iran as early as possible… ‘Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai,’” he said.

Another returnee said they had been in Iran for a month but faced problems over the past one to two weeks. “When we went outside, protesters would come in front of the car and cause trouble. The internet was shut down, so we couldn’t inform our families. We were very worried and couldn’t even contact the embassy,” he said.

An Indian national from Jammu and Kashmir highlighted the danger posed by the protests. “The protests there were dangerous. The Indian government has made a very good effort and brought the students back,” he said.

Meanwhile, several family members gathered at Indira Gandhi International Airport to receive their loved ones. One family waiting for a relative returning from a pilgrimage expressed gratitude to the government. “Iran has always been a good friend of India. We were confident in the Modi government and thank them for making this possible,” a family member said.

Another person waiting for his sister-in-law said communication had been impossible due to internet shutdowns. “There was a war-like situation. We were very worried, but we are happy she is returning safely,” he said.

Similarly, relatives of other returnees said they had been unable to contact their family members for days and expressed relief and gratitude upon their safe return.

Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Tehran issued an advisory urging Indian nationals, including students, businesspeople, pilgrims and tourists, to leave Iran through available means, including commercial flights, citing the evolving security situation.

The MEA also advised Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice and reiterated its January 5 advisory urging those in Iran to remain cautious and avoid protests or demonstrations.

The protests began at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar on December 28 over the sharp fall of the Iranian rial and later spread nationwide. The unrest followed multiple crises, including water shortages, power outages, rising unemployment and surging inflation.