Israel-Iran conflict: India starts evacuating students from Iran; 100 reach Armenia border | India News

Representative image (AP)

NEW DELHI: As Israel-Iran air strikes intensified, the government Monday said it was relocating Indian students in Iran within the country to ensure their safety. There are roughly 10,000 Indians in Iran, out of whom 6,000 are students. Around 600 Indian students were relocated to Qom from Tehran, which has been the target of Israeli strikes. Around 110 students from Urmia also reached the Armenian border Monday evening and were likely to be evacuated by air Tuesday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoya on Sunday. Students from Shiraz and Isfahan are being shifted to Yazd, said a source.“The Indian embassy in Tehran is continuously monitoring the security situation and engaging Indian students in Iran to ensure their safety,” said the MEA in a statement. “In some cases, students are being relocated with the embassy’s facilitation to safer places within Iran. Other feasible options are also under examination,” it added.Jaishankar also spoke with the deputy PM and foreign minister of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, about the situation in West Asia.According to reports from Srinagar, hundreds of Kashmiri students, enrolled in various universities for professional courses in Iran, are stranded due to the escalated tensions with Israel. The families have appealed to PM Narendra Modi.