Over 35 Kashmiri Students Return Home from Iran on Commercial Flights | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: More than 35 Kashmiri students studying in Iran have safely returned to India over the past two days, bringing relief to anxious families across Jammu and Kashmir amid concerns over the deteriorating situation in the West Asian country.

The students travelled back on two commercial flights operating from Iran. While one group took a connecting flight from Shiraz to Sharjah and onward to Delhi, another group flew directly from Tehran to the national capital. From Delhi, the students dispersed to their respective native places in Kashmir and other parts of the country.

Officials at the Indian Embassy in Tehran facilitated the students’ movement to the airports and ensured their safety during departure, sources said. Embassy officials remain in contact with Indian nationals, particularly students, and are monitoring the situation closely.

Many of the students returned at their own expense after advisories urged Indian nationals to make use of available commercial flights. Several pilgrims were also among the passengers on the two flights.

Students who returned said they did not face major difficulties during their stay. A medical student from Shiraz said limited internet connectivity had made it difficult to assess the evolving situation. “The internet was not working, so we did not know exactly what was happening elsewhere. But the city we were staying in was largely calm,” she said, adding that the return was arranged independently through commercial airlines.

Late on Friday night, families gathered at Delhi airport and later at local airports to receive their relatives. Many said they were particularly worried during the period of internet shutdown in Iran, but were reassured after receiving messages from the Indian Embassy once connectivity was partially restored.

“There was anxiety because communication had broken down, but once we heard from the embassy, we felt reassured,” said Abbas Qazmi, whose mother and aunt returned from Iran this week.

Officials said more students are expected to return in the coming days as commercial flights continue to operate. India’s formal evacuation mechanism has not yet been activated, but embassy officials have conveyed that students will be informed through official channels if such a step becomes necessary.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, around 9,000 Indian nationals currently reside in Iran, the majority of them students. The government has issued multiple advisories asking Indian citizens not to travel to Iran and urging those already there to leave through available commercial options if feasible.

Iran has witnessed weeks of protests triggered by rising inflation and a sharp fall in the value of its currency, with demonstrations spreading across all provinces and authorities imposing restrictions, including internet shutdowns, in several areas.

For families in Kashmir, the safe return of students has provided much-needed relief, even as uncertainty continues for those still awaiting their journey home.