1,800 Hyderabadi Students Remain Stranded in Iran
Parents ask Centre to airlift them through green channel
Hyderabad: Parents of 1,800 Hyderabad-based youth studying medicine and Islamic studies in Iran are anxious about their wellbeing in the wake of a total communication blackout in the country.
After the outbreak of war between Iran and the US, the students moved to safety in the city of Qom, 140 km south of Tehran. However, their evacuation from Iran remains a major challenge for the Indian government.
The anxiety of parents increased after US-Israel attacks hit one of the buildings in Qom. Some parents who managed to speak to their children were told that the target was a vacant building of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“There are a lot of students from Hyderabad and India there (in Qom). I spoke to my son Zia Hussain and they are safe. Even in the building that was targeted, no one was present. I urge parents not to panic,” said a visibly shaken Syed Jaffer Hussain, editor of the city-based Urdu paper Sada-e-Hussaini.
Of the 1,800 students stranded in Iran, 1,200 are medical students, while the remaining are pursuing Islamic studies. Apart from the students, around 100 pilgrims also remain stranded in the city of Mashhad, which is 750 km east of Tehran.
The parents have urged the state and Union governments to rescue them through a “green channel.”
“When Iran was targeted earlier, we were able to rescue those stranded in the country through Azerbaijan. We hope the government helps in airlifting them by securing a green channel from the warring nations through any bordering country. If not Azerbaijan, the government can seek Turkmenistan’s help. We have been urging the state government to establish a helpline or help desk in Hyderabad for those stranded in Iran,” said advocate Syed Ali Jaffry, secretary of the Shia Companions Organisation.
While most students pursuing Islamic studies were based in Qom, medical students were shifted mainly from Tehran following the escalation of the war. Earlier, the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) had issued a statement saying Indian students in Iran were shifted to Qom amid fresh security concerns.
“However, shortly after the relocation, students reported hearing explosions in Qom as well, triggering renewed panic and fear among those who had just been shifted,” the statement said.
AIMSA urged the Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate steps to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from the conflict zone, “preferably through the nearest secure land border once feasible,” it added.
The Central government on Wednesday set up a control room that can be contacted between 9 am and 9 pm at the toll-free number 1800118797 in the Gulf region. Those in Iran can contact the Indian Embassy at +98-9128109115, +98-9128109102, +98-9128109109 and +98-9932179359.
