New Delhi: India has officially begun the evacuation of its citizens amid the growing tensions arising from the Israel-Iran war. According to government sources, the first batch of 100 Indian nationals is expected to cross into Armenia tonight. The effort reportedly began today, with the first group of Indian students set to cross the land border into Armenia. It marks one of the most significant repatriation operations in recent years.
Situation intensifies with Iran’s airspace sealed
Iran has sealed its airspace due to the escalating conflict. Amid this situation, New Delhi has turned to overland routes through Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan. Diplomatic efforts have been initiated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to coordinate safe transit corridors and logistical assistance. This move comes after Tehran responded to New Delhi’s request to provide safe passage for the evacuation of approximately 10,000 students stranded in Iran. As Israel continues to bomb major cities, Iran has shut down its airspace.
Many students are based in cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, Qom, Urmia and Zahedan. The first batch of students, mostly from medical universities in Tehran and Urmia, departed on Monday evening under the supervision of the Indian Embassy in Tehran.
The Indian Embassy issued an advisory on June 15, urging all Indian citizens to stay in touch, avoid unnecessary movement and monitor official social media channels for real-time updates.
Amid mounting geopolitical tensions, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of a “more painful” response should the United States fail to restrain Israel’s actions.
Iranian authorities have granted land border access to facilitate the evacuation and have responded positively to New Delhi’s appeal for safe movement.
Airstrike on Netanyahu not ruled out: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided ruling out a potential airstrike on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei when asked by ABC News. “We’re doing what we need to do,” Netanyahu responded. However, he did not give a direct yes or no. He claimed that such an action could actually “end the conflict” rather than escalate it.
India launches contact numbers for Indian nationals stranded in Iran
Meanwhile, India has launched helpline numbers to help the distressed batch of Indian nationals who are stranded in Iran and thereby, are not in touch with the Embassy. In a post on “X”, (formerly Twitter), the Embassy of India in Iran has asked all such individuals to contact the embassy immediately and stay in touch. It has also requested for the sharing of their contact details and location to the embassy.
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All Indian Nationals who are in Tehran and not in touch with the Embassy are requested to contact the Embassy of India in Tehran immediately and provide their Location and Contact numbers.
Kindly contact: +989010144557; +989128109115; +989128109109@MEAIndia
— India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) June 17, 2025
