Indian Students Evacuate Tehran Amid Iran Tensions as Airspace Shuts Down

The relocation comes at a time when Iranian airspace remains closed, making any immediate air evacuation impossible.

The conflict in West Asia has sharply escalated in recent days, with strikes targeting key locations in Iran and fears of a broader regional confrontation rising.

The instability has triggered panic among foreign nationals, including thousands of Indian students pursuing medical and professional courses in Iranian universities.

The All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA), which has been coordinating with students in Iran, confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued advisories asking students to shift to designated safer locations.

According to AIMSA, students from universities including BUMS, TUMS, IUMS, Kerman and others have been instructed to relocate. The advisory directed students to move immediately to designated safer zones and carry only a 5 kg bag while relocating.

"Embassy has arranged several buses for students to be picked up from universities. We have left," a student told ANI over phone, adding that they have been asked not to disclose their exact location due to safety concerns.

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran (Photo/WANA via Reuters)

Another message shared by a parent read, "Islamic Azad University Tehran students are leaving towards the metro station, from there they will be picked up in buses. Just informed by my daughter. Pray for everyone's safety."

Students from Islamic Azad University were among those who began moving towards metro stations and assembly points from where buses arranged by the Embassy transported them.

ANI reached out to several students currently in Tehran, who confirmed that they had boarded buses and were being relocated as per Embassy instructions.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) also confirmed the development. National Convenor Nasir Khuehami told ANI that their representatives in Tehran had verified that students were being shifted to safer locations.

"Our representatives in Tehran have confirmed that students are being relocated. This is what we had been requesting for quite some time, given that the airspace is closed and air evacuation is not possible. We asked the Embassy to relocate the students, and I can confirm they are being relocated," he said.

Earlier, JKSA had sought urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging the government to facilitate the immediate relocation of Indian students, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir, until a full-fledged evacuation operation is launched.

In a statement, the Association said that ongoing airstrikes had created widespread panic among students, with many reporting fear, uncertainty and severe distress. It also noted that several colleges and universities in affected areas had advised students to vacate campuses as a precautionary measure.

Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, President of AIMSA, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Tehran for their continuous support and efforts in ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian students amid the evolving crisis.

- ANI