Evacuated student from Iran thanks Embassy, Indian govt; recounts ordeal amid ceasefire
Faridabad: A student recently evacuated from war-hit Iran, Saniya Zehar on Tuesday expressed deep gratitude to the Indian Embassy, the Union government, and the media for ensuring the safe return of hundreds of Indians stranded in the conflict zone.
Sharing her harrowing experience, Saniya Zehar said their evacuation would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of all stakeholders.
Speaking to IANS, Saniya Zehar said, "I want to thank the Embassy, the Indian Government, and the media. It's only because of them that we were able to come back. If it weren't for the media raising our voices, we might have remained unheard. We were brought back by air, and I believe nearly 2,000 Indians were there in Iran."
She also described the terror that gripped them during their final days in Iran, where the Internet shutdown cut off communication and left them in a state of helplessness and fear.
'It felt like death was near. We didn't know how much time we had left. We had lost contact as the Internet was shut down — we could only manage voice calls. My father kept trying to give us hope, saying the Embassy and media were doing something. He would tell me, 'People were brought back from Ukraine and Russia, so why not from Iran?'', she told IANS.
On being asked about her future plans, Saniya Zehar remained optimistic despite the trauma.
'Now that a ceasefire has been declared between Iran and Israel, we hope to go back. We've dreamt of becoming doctors and completing our MBBS. It's not right to leave that dream incomplete,' she concluded.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the safe arrival of 380 Indian nationals in New Delhi on Tuesday — 219 from Iran and 161 from Israel — as part of the ongoing 'Operation Sindhu'.
With this latest evacuation, India has successfully repatriated 2,295 of its citizens from Iran amid the intensifying Middle East crisis.
In a major geopolitical development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially confirmed Israel's acceptance of a ceasefire proposal with Iran, bringing an end to 12 days of fierce conflict.
In a statement issued by his office, Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed that all strategic objectives of 'Operation Rising Lion' had been achieved and even surpassed.
'Israel has removed a dual existential threat — both nuclear and ballistic — and achieved complete air superiority over Tehran. Dozens of major regime targets in Iran were destroyed, and their military leadership was dealt a significant blow,' the statement said.
However, tensions briefly spiked again after Israel claimed to have intercepted missiles launched from Iran just hours after the ceasefire. Iran, through its semi-official Tasnim News Agency, denied any such missile attack following the truce.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz responded by ordering "intense strikes" on targets in Tehran, accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire. Air raid sirens rang out across Haifa, but all incoming missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defence systems, and no casualties or damage were reported.
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