The war-ravaged landscape of Iran, battered by US-Israel airstrikes and reeling from the loss of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has trapped numerous Indian students in a nightmare scenario. But a crucial update from Mumbai offers respite: no extraordinary approvals are needed for their departure.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Iran’s Consul General in Mumbai, Saeed Reza Motalagh, confirmed that joint protocols with India allow students seamless access to land borders. ‘Air travel is impossible with airports locked down,’ he explained. ‘However, borders with Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and others remain open for passport holders.’
This policy shift bypasses traditional checkpoints, enabling direct exits amid chaos. Iranian officials have prepositioned support to guide students safely from universities in cities like Tehran and Mashhad to these frontiers. The move addresses the plight of thousands pursuing medicine and other courses, now cut off from families back home.
Fresh blasts rocked Tehran early Monday, while Tasnim News Agency reported intense missile strikes on Sanandaj’s civilian neighborhoods. Casualties from the escalating conflict have surpassed 500, with Iran striking back at American installations abroad.
Echoing widespread anxiety, Lok Sabha MP KC Venugopal posted on X yesterday, calling on PM Modi to safeguard Indians in the volatile Middle East. ‘Deep worry pervades our communities,’ he noted, pressing for swift interventions.
India’s diplomatic machinery is in overdrive, liaising with Tehran to orchestrate these land evacuations. Students are urged to stay indoors, monitor official channels, and prepare for immediate movement. As hostilities intensify, this simplified border protocol stands as a vital lifeline, potentially reuniting families torn by distant drums of war.