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345 Indian Fishermen Evacuated from Iran Amid Conflict Arrive Safely in Chennai

A group of 345 Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, have been safely evacuated and arrived in Chennai. Their return was facilitated by the Armenian government, as acknowledged by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The Ministry of External Affairs reports that over 1,200 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran so far, with many transiting through Armenia and Azerbaijan. Authorities continue to coordinate efforts to ensure the safe return of citizens affected by the regional security situation.

Key Points: Indian Fishermen Evacuated from Iran Amid West Asia Conflict

  • 345 fishermen evacuated from Iran
  • Safe arrival in Chennai via Armenia
  • Over 1,200 Indian nationals rescued from conflict zone
  • Evacuation efforts coordinated with Armenia and Azerbaijan
2 min read

345 Indian fishermen evacuated from Iran amid West Asia conflict arrive in Chennai via Armenia

345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran due to West Asia conflict evacuated via Armenia, arriving safely in Chennai. Over 1,200 nationals rescued.

"Thank FM Ararat Mirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation - S Jaishankar"

Chennai, April 4

A total of 345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran amid the ongoing West Asia conflict arrived safely in Chennai on Saturday evening after being evacuated through Armenia.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs's External Publicity & Public Diplomacy Division, the fishermen were brought back as part of India's continued efforts to ensure the safety of its nationals in the conflict-affected region.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on X, expressed gratitude to the Armenian government for facilitating the evacuation and thanked his counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for enabling the safe transit of Indian nationals from Iran to India amid the conflict.

"Thank FM Ararat Mirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar wrote on X.

Armenia has been facilitating the evacuation of Indian nationals in Iran.

On Thursday, the MEA said that more than 1,200 Indian nationals have been safely evacuated from Iran, out of which 996 moved to Armenia.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the evacuation is being carried out through Armenia and Azerbaijan with the Centre closely coordinating efforts on the ground.

According to Jaiswal, "Some 1200 Indian nationals have been evacuated, of which 845 are students."

He added, "996 moved to Armenia and 204 to Azerbaijan, from where they are being helped by the MEA."

The spokesperson said the Ministry has been working closely with Indian missions and local authorities in both Armenia and Azerbaijan to ensure the safe return of citizens and noted that arrangements are in place to assist evacuees in transit before they are brought back to India.

Meanwhile, over 6 lakh passengers have returned to India amid the developing security situation in West Asia.

Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) at the Ministry of External Affairs, said, "Since February 28th, around 6,24,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations between the UAE and India. Around 90 flights are expected to operate from the UAE to various destinations in India today."

The West Asia crisis began on February 28 with US-Israel strikes on Iran, and subsequent Iranian retaliation engulfed the region in the conflict, affecting the airspace in the Gulf region.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Heartwarming news. These fishermen must have been through so much anxiety. Thank you to Armenia for their help. Hope they get some rest and support now that they're back in Chennai.
R
Rahul R
Over 6 lakh people returned! That's a massive operation. Shows the scale of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf. While the evacuation is good, we must also ask why so many Indians are in such volatile regions for work. Need better opportunities at home.
A
Arjun K
Good diplomacy at work. Armenia and Azerbaijan both helping is interesting. Glad the students are safe too. The government should ensure these fishermen don't face financial ruin after this ordeal.
M
Meera T
As a Chennaiite, I'm happy they landed here safely. The families must be so relieved. 🙏 Hope the state government also steps in to provide some immediate aid to them.
D
David E
Watching from abroad, this is impressive coordination. Evacuating citizens from a conflict zone through third countries is complex. Kudos to the Indian officials on the ground.

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