‘Conditions are bad there’ Families welcome Indian nationals back from Iran after travel advisory
New Delhi: Several Indian nationals arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi late Friday after departing Iran, where nationwide protests and security concerns have intensified.
The returns come after the Indian government advised its citizens to leave Iran, citing an evolving and volatile situation.
The Ministry of External Affairs said it is closely monitoring developments and remains committed to ensuring the well-being of Indian nationals abroad. The Indian Embassy in Tehran issued an advisory asking students, businesspeople, pilgrims and tourists to depart Iran through available means of transport, including commercial flights. A parallel advisory from New Delhi strongly advised Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice.
Returning nationals described deteriorating conditions on the ground. One evacuee said the situation in Iran had become “bad” and thanked the Government of India for its cooperation, adding that the embassy provided timely information to help them leave. Another national said problems escalated over the past one to two weeks, with protesters blocking vehicles, internet services being shut down and communication with families becoming impossible, which caused significant anxiety.
A resident of Jammu and Kashmir who returned from Iran described the protests as dangerous and credited the Indian government for making efforts to bring students back safely.
Family members gathered at the airport to receive their relatives, many of whom had been unable to make contact for days due to internet shutdowns. Relatives expressed relief and gratitude to the Indian government for coordinating the returns amid what they described as a war-like situation.
The protests in Iran began on December 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the sharp fall of the Iranian rial and later spread nationwide. The currency decline followed multiple crises, including severe water shortages, power outages, rising unemployment and high inflation.
(With ANI inputs)