Iran Allows Stranded Indian Students to Exit via Land Borders; Over 10,000 Await Evacuation Amid Escalating Conflict
New Delhi/Tehran, June 17 — In response to India’s urgent request, Iran has agreed to allow Indian nationals, including over 10,000 students, to exit the country through land borders as its airspace remains shut amid escalating hostilities with Israel. The decision provides a narrow but crucial window for evacuation, with students now permitted to cross into Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
The development comes as India continues to assess options for evacuating its citizens, particularly students, stranded across Iranian cities. Many of these students are enrolled in medical universities and hail from Jammu and Kashmir.
“Given the closure of Iranian airspace due to ongoing regional tensions, land routes remain the only viable evacuation channel at present,” said officials familiar with the matter. Indian authorities are currently exploring logistics for a safe and coordinated exit plan.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran, in a statement issued Sunday, said it was “closely monitoring the security situation” and actively coordinating with students. “In some cases, students are being relocated with the Embassy’s facilitation to safer places within Iran,” the statement read, adding that other evacuation options were under examination.
Tensions in the region intensified following continued Israeli airstrikes on Iranian cities. A particularly concerning incident occurred near the boys’ hostel for international students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, where two Indian students from Kashmir sustained injuries. Both are in stable condition and have been shifted to Ramsar by university authorities for safety.
Indian students have described harrowing conditions over the past several days. Imtisal Mohidin, a 22-year-old MBBS student from Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir, studying at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, spoke to news agency ANI about the trauma.
“We are stuck inside our apartment basement. We hear blasts every night. One explosion was just five kilometers away. We haven’t slept in three days,” she said. “We need help urgently before the situation gets worse.”
Amid the growing crisis, political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir have also appealed for swift action. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to prioritize the safety and evacuation of students from the Union Territory. “Urgent action needed by @DrSJaishankar to evacuate J&K students studying in Iran amid escalating tensions,” Karra posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti also posted contact details of the Indian Embassy in Tehran and urged stranded students to reach out directly for assistance. “Please leave a WhatsApp message or call on these Indian Embassy numbers: +98 9128109115 and +98 9128109109,” she wrote.
Hundreds of students from Jammu and Kashmir are currently studying in Iranian universities, particularly in medical colleges spread across Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Shiraz.
While India has not yet launched an official evacuation mission, diplomatic sources indicate that groundwork is being laid to coordinate safe movement via land routes and, if conditions improve, possibly air corridors in the future.
As regional tensions show no sign of abating, the situation remains fluid. Authorities are urging students and their families to remain in close contact with official channels and await further instructions.
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