- More than 1,500 Indian students are stranded in Iran due to escalating regional conflict.
- Parents in Jammu and Kashmir protested, demanding immediate evacuation of their children.
- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he is in contact with the foreign ministry regarding student safety.
More than 1,500 Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, have got stranded in Iran amid the escalating regional conflict. Their parents and relatives, apprehensive about their safety, staged protests in Srinagar today demanding immediate evacuation.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he is consulting the foreign ministry and taking necessary measures to ensure the well-being of the stranded students.
"Just spoke to @DrSJaishankar regarding the situation in Iran, particularly the welfare & safety of Kashmiri students in the country. The Hon Minister assured me that @MEAIndia is in close contact with their counterparts in Iran & will take all necessary steps to safeguard all Indian students in Iran," the Chief Minister posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The parents have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the foreign minister S Jaishankar to intervene and facilitate the safe return of the Indian students.
"Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Government evacuated all Indian students stranded in Ukraine. We request the Prime Minister to intervene and ensure the safe return of our children, who are currently experiencing constant fear amid heavy bombing in the region," said a parent.
The majority of the students stranded in Tehran, Shiraz, and Qom cities of Iran are pursuing professional courses, primarily MBBS.
After his communication with the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Abdullah said he would provide updates as the situation evolves.
"As a parent, I assure all the concerned parents of my government's close and continuous attention to this important developing situation," the Chief Minister said.
On Sunday, scores of parents and relatives gathered and requested the government's intervention as they received desperate calls from their stranded children, urging immediate evacuation from the war zone.
"Our children are sending SOS messages. My child has not eaten for the past two days due to fear. Please evacuate our children immediately," said a parent.
"Our children are urgently requesting help. To date, there has been no response from the government. We appeal to the government to intervene and facilitate their evacuation before the situation deteriorates further," said a distressed parent.
Many Kashmiri students are currently stranded Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
