New Delhi: The first two commercial flights carrying Indian nationals from Iran landed safely in Delhi late Friday night, as tensions stemming from widespread protests against the regime of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continue in the Islamic Republic.
These flights were regular commercial services and were not part of an official evacuation mission, though New Delhi has made contingency plans to assist its citizens if required.
The Indian government had earlier advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran due to the volatile security situation. Some flights between the two countries were disrupted on January 15 after the Iranian authorities briefly closed their airspace amid rising tensions, but normal commercial operations have since resumed.
Upon their return, Indian nationals expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its support and assistance during the crisis. India’s Embassy in Tehran had been issuing regular advisories and maintaining contact with Indian pilgrims, tourists, students, and businessmen to help them depart the country safely.
“There was no internet. Therefore, we couldn’t inform our families…
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Several returnees described their experiences in Iran, noting issues such as lack of internet connectivity and intermittent protest activity. “When we went outside, protesters would come in front of the car. They would cause a little trouble. There was no internet. Therefore, we couldn’t inform our families, and we were a little worried. We couldn’t even contact the embassy,” an Indian national, who was in Iran for a month, said as quoted by NDTV. He had been facing problems only over the last couple of weeks.
An MBBS student who returned said she had heard about the protests but did not personally witness demonstrations, while another Indian who had been in Iran for a month said that in the last two weeks protesters sometimes blocked roads, and the absence of internet made communication with family difficult.
An electrical engineer returning from Iran said that conditions appeared to be improving, with the primary problem being network disruptions during his stay.
“There was fire; the protests were dangerous”
“People were worried, but now the scenario in Tehran is now normal. There was fire; the protests were dangerous. However, there were fewer protesters compared to those supporting the regime,” said another national, as quoted by NDTV.
The protests in Iran, which began in late December, were sparked by widespread dissatisfaction with the Khamenei regime and have led to a significant crackdown. The situation remains closely monitored by Indian authorities, with more than 9,000 Indian nationals reported to be in Iran.