8 hours ago
India evacuates students from Tehran to other parts of Iran, some leave country via Armenia
The statement added that the Indian embassy in Tehran 'remains continuously in touch with the community' and is extending all 'feasible assistance.' The embassy, in a separate statement, said it had asked Indians and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who could leave Tehran 'using their own resources' to seek safety outside of the city.
'Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy. Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of the developing situation. Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia,' the MEA added.
New Delhi: Indian students have been evacuated from Tehran to other parts of Iran, as the conflict with Israel intensifies for the fifth day. A number of Indians have also left Iran via the land border with Armenia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement Tuesday.
Both the advisories come after Israel expanded its strikes against Iran.
Approximately, 50-100 students have left Iran for Armenia. The focus is to have Indians in Iran to move cities within the country that are not under Israeli strike such as Tehran, a person familiar with the matter told ThePrint.
On Monday evening, US President Donald J. Trump in a statement on his social media platform Truth Social called on all residents in Tehran to leave Iran's capital 'immediately,' as reports indicate that the American leader is weighing his options on potentially intervening in the ongoing conflict. The American President left the G7 summit early and returned to the US to deal with the conflict.
Over 200 Iranians have been killed so far, while Iran's retaliatory missile barrages have left at least 23 Israelis dead. The current conflict began in the early hours of 13 June, when Tel Aviv launched Operation Rising Lion, which hit Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility and Isfahan.
Israel has killed at least 10 senior officials in Iran's security apparatus, including chief of staff of the armed forces Major General Mohammad Bagheir and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Major General Hossein Salami. A number of nuclear scientists have also been targeted and killed by Israel's offensive.
In the evening on 13 June, Iran launched Operation True Promise 3, striking at Israel with ballistic missiles, hitting a number of places including Tel Aviv. The Indian leadership has called for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate the situation in West Asia, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterating that this is not the 'era for war' Monday during a joint press conference with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been in touch with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan and Abdullah bin Zayed of the UAE. Both countries offer a potential route for Indians to exit Iran and return home. Indian students have so far used the Armenian route to leave Iran.
The conflict is expected to intensify further, given that Israel has air superiority over the skies of Iran and has been targeting a number of sites across Tehran, including the state broadcaster.
In a statement Tuesday, the G7 leaders had labelled Iran as the 'principal source' for regional instability and terror in the region and backed Israel's right to self-defence. The statement called for a de-escalation in the situation, while reiterating that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
Days before Israel struck Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had said that Tehran has amassed a stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 percent, which is a technical step away from the requirements to build a nuclear weapon.
Iran and the US were in the midst of negotiations for a new nuclear deal, after Trump walked out of the previous deal—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—during his first term in 2018. Iran has pulled out of the talks following Israel's strike, but its administration has left the door open for further negotiations if the attacks stop, according to reports.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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