PDP President Urges Centre to Bring Back Indian Students from Iran | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday urged the Union government to step in to ensure the safe return of Indian students, including those from Kashmir, stranded in Iran amid escalating unrest.

Her appeal came a day after parents of several Kashmiri students studying in Iran voiced serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation and sought the Centre’s help to bring their children home.

In a post on X, Mufti said thousands of Indian nationals, among them students from Kashmir, were caught in a volatile situation, triggering fear and anxiety among parents worried about their safety. She called upon External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene urgently.

Thousands of students from across the country including Kashmir are stranded in Iran amid the present volatile situation. This has triggered deep fear and anxiety with anguished parents desperately worried about their children’s safety. Urge @DrSJaishankar and @MEAIndia to…

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 15, 2026

Official estimates suggest that more than 10,000 Indians, including students, are currently residing in Iran. In a fresh advisory, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has asked all Indian nationals—students, pilgrims, businesspersons and tourists—to leave the country using available transport options, including commercial flights.

Iran has been witnessing widespread protests since late last month, initially triggered by the sharp fall of the national currency, the rial. The unrest has since spread to all 31 provinces, evolving from demonstrations over economic hardship into broader calls for political change.

The situation has worsened significantly in recent days, with the death toll from the nationwide protests crossing 2,000, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).