Stranded Kashmiri students in Iran allowed exit via Armenia amid safety, cost concerns

Srinagar, Mar 11: Students from Kashmir and other parts of India stranded in Iran have been permitted to leave the country through the Armenia border, but only if they possess a confirmed onward flight booking from Armenia to New Delhi. For many of the students, particularly those in Qom and other Iranian cities, the option remains difficult due to safety concerns and the high cost of travel.

Students currently sheltered in Qom said officials from the Embassy of India informed them that crossing into Armenia would be allowed only for those holding confirmed air tickets for onward travel to India. The condition, they were told, is meant to ensure that students do not remain stranded in Armenia after crossing the border.

Upon arrival at the Armenian border, students will have to pay a visa fee of $10. Those who reach Armenia before their scheduled flights will also need to arrange their own accommodation until departure.

Students said embassy officials indicated that if a group of 40 to 50 students travels together through this route, transportation from the Armenia border to the airport may be arranged with the assistance of the Indian Embassy in Armenia.

However, the cost of air travel from Armenia to New Delhi remains a major obstacle. Flights from Yerevan to New Delhi, typically via Dubai, are currently priced at over Rs 1.2 lakh.

Media reports suggest that around 30 students from the University of Urmia have already booked tickets and are expected to reach New Delhi on March 15 and 16. For many others, however, the airfare remains unaffordable.

Students also highlighted the risks involved in reaching the Armenia border. For nearly 600 students currently staying in Qom, the journey to the border involves a bus ride of more than 20 hours through areas witnessing frequent bombardment.

“We are not even sure whether we will reach the border safely, while even living here in Iran is equally perilous,” a student from Qom told this reporter through a message.

The student said the group is grateful to the Indian Embassy for arranging accommodation in hotels and relocating them away from Tehran. However, she appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate a formal evacuation.

“This is a humanitarian issue,” she said on behalf of the students.

Meanwhile, the J&K Students Association (JKSA) said on Wednesday that around 100 students have booked tickets from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, to New Delhi via Dubai.

According to JKSA National Convener Nasir Khuehami, most of these students are enrolled at Urmia University and are scheduled to travel on FlyDubai flights on March 14 and 15.

In a statement, the association said that during recent meetings between Khuehami and senior officials — including the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian Ambassador to India, and officials from the Ministry of External Affairs — it was conveyed that there is currently no formal evacuation plan for Indian students in Iran.

Students returning at present, the association said, are doing so through commercial travel arrangements on their own.