Indian students in Tehran seek evacuation amid Iran-Israel escalation

Many students association also requested improved communication from the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the preparation of a contingency plan.

New Delhi: The Indian students studying in Iran have appealed to the government for evacuation following Israeli airstrikes that targeted key military and nuclear sites in Iran, including areas near the capital.

"Right now the situation is calm and we are safe, but we are feeling scared. The attack started at around 3:30 am and we felt the land shake. It was a concerning experience," Tabiya Zahra, a second-year MBBS student from Kashmir at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), told PTI.

Zahra said that while the university officials visited the students and advised them to remain calm, they did not offer clarity on which areas might be safer.

She urged the Indian government to arrange evacuation, citing uncertainty about the security situation and limited communication access due to internet disruptions in some areas.

Another student, Alisha Rizvi from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh, said "the embassy asked us to email our local addresses and contact details for emergency purposes".

"They are trying to collect data in case evacuation is needed," she added.

Both students are in their second year of a 5.5-year MBBS programme, having gone to Tehran in 2023. They confirmed that airspace over Tehran has been closed and flights from Imam Khomeini International Airport were suspended following the strikes.

The escalation began late Thursday when Israel launched airstrikes targeting several locations in Iran, including its main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, radar stations and surface-to-air missile sites.

Black smoke was seen rising from some of the affected areas and explosions were reported in Tehran and other parts of western Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed that the strikes were aimed at Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.

In response, Iran launched a retaliatory attack, sending a swarm of drones toward Israel.

The Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned of a "severe punishment" following the Israeli offensive.

The situation has significantly raised tensions in the region and prompted international concern over the possibility of further escalation.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, requesting urgent intervention to assist the Indian students, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir, studying in Iran.

In the letter, the Association highlighted the evolving security situation and noted that many Indian students are enrolled in universities located near strategic sites.

It said that the closure of airspace and increased military activity have raised concerns among the students and their families.

Jammu and Kashmir Students Association national convenor Nasir Khuehami said that several students have reported hearing air raid sirens and feeling tremors.

"We are receiving calls from the students and their families, requesting assistance. We urge the government to stay prepared and take necessary steps if evacuation becomes unavoidable," he added.

The Association also requested improved communication from the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the preparation of a contingency plan, depending on how the situation develops.