Latest news with #Zahedan
Arab News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan says 3,000 evacuated from Iran as stranded students plead for help
ISLAMABAD: The foreign office said on Thursday about 3,000 Pakistani nationals have been evacuated from Iran following the Israeli attack, adding the country's diplomatic mission is working to facilitate stranded students seeking urgent evacuation. A week of Israeli air and missile strikes, which began on June 13, has led to the killing of many of Iran's top-ranking military officials and ordinary people. In response, Tehran's retaliatory strikes have also killed about two dozen civilians in Israel. Following Friday's escalation, Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights, stranding hundreds of expatriates, including Pakistani religious tourists, students and workers. 'The evacuation is moving smoothly and so far, nearly 3,000 Pakistani nationals have already been evacuated,' foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters in his weekly media briefing. 'Our consulates in Zahedan and Mashhad have been active round the clock, extending all possible facilitation and support to our nationals who are in Iran,' he said, expressing gratitude to the Iranian authorities for their sensitivity and all possible facilitation and help extended in this process. Khan said the Pakistani mission was using multiple routes to evacuate citizens, including via the Gabr and Taftan border crossings, through Ashgabat, Baku and even Baghdad, through special flights. 'It's an ongoing process as there are logistical challenges at times, but we are working together with the Iranian authorities to resolve them if a problem arises,' he added. The spokesperson said there is a sizeable Pakistani community in Iran, with many of them living in the neighboring state for years with their families after marrying local people. STRANDED STUDENTS Speaking to Arab News from various cities across Iran, Pakistani students expressed serious concerns about their safety and appealed for immediate evacuation. 'I have been stranded here since the suspension of flight operations due to the regional tensions,' Muhammad Hussain, a Pakistani medical student at Qom University of Medical Sciences, told Arab News over the phone. 'The situation is becoming more tense, we are now hearing continuous explosions, which has increased our concern for safety,' he said, adding that he tried to reach out to the Pakistan embassy as well who asked him to travel to the Chabahar border. 'I am unable to get any means to go there,' he said, urging the Pakistan government and the embassy to arrange special transport to take them to border. 'Our families are extremely worried, and we just want to go back,' he added. Noman Khan, an MBBS student in Urmia, a city in Iran's Azerbaijan province, said he was part of a group of Pakistani students, including 10 girls, awaiting repatriation amid the ongoing situation. 'We contacted the embassy to evacuate us and, about two days ago, they asked us to book a bus ourselves, promising to send the payment,' he informed, adding that even after more than 60 hours, they were still waiting for the payment without which they were unable to get transport to cross border. 'We have female students with us as well who are also scared as nearby cities were also hit by missiles,' he continued. 'Our city is about two hours away from Tabriz and almost two to three drones were shot down in our city as well.' Saman Yunus, another medical student at Iran University of Medical Sciences, said that due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, they had been traveling for the past four days. 'The Pakistani Embassy advised us that it would be safer to go to the Chabahar border and assured us that any issues related to accommodation or other needs would be resolved within minutes,' she told Arab News. However, she said the biggest problem they faced was that the border was not open 24/7 and there was no accommodation available. 'As a result, we had to spend the entire night on the roadside and we contacted both our university and the embassy, but no help was provided,' she continued, adding they were now heading to Pakistani consulate in Zahedan, hoping they would facilitate a safe border crossing. 'A representative there has assured us that they will handle it as soon as possible and ensure we safely cross border,' she added.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
India launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indians from conflict-hit Iran
New Delhi, June 18 (UNI) India today launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran, amid the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The Government of India has been taking various steps over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran. As a first step, the Indian Embassy has evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran, assisting them in safely crossing over into Armenia on June 17. The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia. These students departed Yerevan on a special flight at 1455 hrs on June 18th and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19 as part of the initial stages of Operation Sindhu, a statement said. The Government of India is grateful to the Governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process. India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options. Indian nationals in Iran are advised to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24x7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Emergency Helpline numbers of Embassy of India in Tehran: i. For call only : +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109 ii. For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709 iii. Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036 iv. Zahedan: +98 9396356649 v. Email- Helpline numbers of 24 X 7 Control Room set-up by Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi: 800118797 (Toll free) , +91-11-23012113 , +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 ; Email- situationroom@ UNI RN
India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Israel-Iran War: India Launches Operation Sindhu To Evacuate Indian Nationals From Tehran; 110 Brought Back
India on Wednesday announced the launch of Operation Sindhu with the arrival of the first batch of 110 students from war-hit Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs said that Operation Sindhu was launched in view of the deteriorating situation in Iran. The MEA said that the GoI has been taking various steps over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran. "As a first step, the Indian Embassy has evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran, assisting them in safely crossing over into Armenia on 17th June 2025. The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia. These students departed Yerevan on a special flight at 1455 hrs on 18th June 2025 and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025 as part of the initial stages of Operation Sindhu," it said. India also thanked Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process. "India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options," it said. The MEA also advised Indian nationals in Iran to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24x7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Emergency Helpline numbers of Embassy of India in Tehran: i. For call only : +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109 ii. For WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709 iii. Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036 iv. Zahedan: +98 9396356649 v. Email- Helpline numbers of 24 X 7 Control Room set-up by Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi: 800118797 (Toll free) , +91-11-23012113 , +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905. WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 ; Email- situationroom@
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel-Iran conflict: India launches ‘Operation Sindhu' to evacuate citizens from war-hit Iran; 110 Indian students return via Armenia
NEW DELHI: As tensions escalate in the Middle East amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, the government of India has launched Operation Sindhu, a mission aimed at ensuring the safety and evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran. In the first leg of the operation, 110 Indian students from northern Iran were successfully evacuated and transported by road to Yerevan, Armenia on June 17. The movement was closely coordinated by India's missions in Tehran and Yerevan. These students departed from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan on a special flight at 14:55 IST on June 18 and are scheduled to arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19. The government expressed gratitude to the governments of Iran and Armenia for their cooperation in facilitating the evacuation. "As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas witnessing increased hostilities to relatively safer zones within the country, and subsequently facilitating their evacuation using feasible options," the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a press statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Everybody Is Switching To This Enterprise Accounting Software [Take a Look] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo The MEA reaffirmed that India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of its nationals abroad, and urged those still in Iran to remain in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the MEA's 24x7 Control Room in New Delhi. Emergency contacts: Emergency contact information Embassy of India in Tehran Call only : +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109 WhatsApp : +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709 Regional Contacts : Bandar Abbas : +98 9177699036 Zahedan : +98 9396356649 Email : 24x7 Control Room, MEA, New Delhi Toll-free : 800118797 Landlines : +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 WhatsApp : +91-9968291988 Email : situationroom@ Further stages of Operation Sindhu are expected to continue as the situation unfolds.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
110 Indian students evacuated from Tehran to Armenia amid Israel-Iran tensions: MEA
As the tensions between Israel and Iran are escalating, 110 Indian students have been moved out of Tehran and are crossing the border into Armenia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. In a statement, the ministry said the Indian Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community and aims to extend all feasible assistance. 'Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy,' the MEA said. Given the fluid situation in Iran, the external affairs ministry has issued an advisory asking other Indians who are self-sufficient in terms of transport to move out of Tehran city. The MEA said it may issue further advisories for Indians in Iran. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University, 90 of them from the Kashmir Valley, have safely crossed the border into Armenia. In a post on social media platform X, the Indian Embassy in Iran said: 'All Indian Nationals and PIOs who can move out of Tehran using their own resources are advised to move to a safe location outside the city.' In a separate statement, the MEA said a 24/7 control room has been established in the ministry in view of the ongoing developments in Iran and Israel. The contact details of the control room are as under: 1800118797 (Toll-Free) 91-11-23012113 91-11-23014104 91-11-23017905 91-9968291988 (Whatsapp) situationroom@ The Indian Embassy in Tehran has also set up a 24/7 emergency helpline. 'For calls only: 98 9128109115, 98 9128109109; For WhatsApp: 98 901044557, 98 9015993320, 91 8086871709; Bandar Abbas: 98 9177699036; Zahedan: 98 9396356649; (email),' it said. On Friday, Israel launched massive strikes targeting Iran's nuclear, missile and military complexes, mounting tension in West Asia and prompting retaliatory action by the Islamic Republic. India had said on Friday that it was 'deeply concerned' over the recent developments between the two countries and was 'closely monitoring' the evolving situation, even as New Delhi urged both nations to avoid any escalatory steps. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the situation with his counterparts in Israel and Iran on Friday.
