'Our children are in a war zone': Kashmiri parents plead for evacuation of students from Iran

Srinagar: As the Middle East inches closer to a full-blown conflict, fear and helplessness are consuming families of hundreds of Kashmiri students stranded in Iran.

With the spectre of war looming large, desperate parents are pleading with the Government of India to bring their children home before it’s too late.

On Sunday, the air in Srinagar’s Press Colony was heavy with worry, as anguished parents gathered with trembling voices and tearful eyes. Each of them had one demand—immediate evacuation.

“Our children are stuck in a war zone. We are dying every minute here, not knowing if they are safe. We haven’t slept for days,” cried a parent, whose son studies in Qom, one of Iran’s key educational hubs. “We are not asking for favours—we are asking to save our children’s lives.”

The situation escalated after Israeli strikes targeted nuclear and military sites in Iran on Thursday night. Iran responded with missile attacks on Israeli cities pushing the region into greater uncertainty and danger.

The prospect of a full-blown war has alarmed those families across Kashmir whose children are enrolled in Islamic seminaries and universities in Qom, Mashhad, and Tehran.

“My daughter called me and said they’ve been asked to stock food and stay indoors. I haven’t heard from her since,” said a weeping mother from Baramulla.

Amid the growing outcry, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has begun collecting details of students stuck in Iran, asking parents to submit information such as names, contact numbers, passport details, and addresses.

A senior government official confirmed that the matter is being taken seriously. “We’re in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and will facilitate evacuation if required,” he told Deccan Herald.

For the families, time is of the essence. “We saw students being brought back from Ukraine and war areas in the past. Why not Iran? Please, don’t wait for tragedy,” the parents plead.