Iran-Israel Conflict: Many Indians in Tehran Bussed Out, Embassy Advises Leaving City
New Delhi: As the skies over Iran turned perilous, residents of the capital and other major cities began fleeing to safer areas, clogging highways as traffic built up with those trying to leave. Among them were Indian nationals being bussed out, though many remained stranded, either unable to navigate the gridlocked city or having missed their transportation altogether.
While Israel had targeted nuclear sites and military infrastructure, missile strikes also began hitting civilian neighbourhoods, intensifying fears across the country.
Images circulating on social media showed long lines of cars jammed on Tehran’s arterial roads as families tried to escape the capital.
According to official figures, more than 200 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Iran, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have claimed the lives of at least 24 in Israel.
In the early hours of Monday (June 17), the Ministry of External Affairs issued a short statement that the Indian embassy was going to relocate students to other places in Iran.
Later on the same day, it noted that it had established a 24x7 control room.
The contact details of the control room are:
1800118797 (Toll free)
+91-11-23012113
+91-11-23014104
+91-11-23017905
+91-9968291988 (Whatsapp)
situationroom@mea.gov.in
The Embassy of India in Tehran, set up a 24x7 emergency helpline with the following contact details:
For call only :
1. +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109
For WhatsApp:
2. +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709.
3. Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036
4. Zahedan: +98 9396356649
cons.tehran@mea.gov.in
This morning, the Indian embassy in Tehran urged Indians in Tehran to get in touch with it through the numbers +989010144557; +989128109115 and +989128109109.
In a subsequent statement today, the MEA noted that Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy. Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia.
Directives and some confusion
Earlier, on Sunday, two Indian students received minor injuries after their hostel in Tehran was hit in an Israeli strike, which amplified the sense of anxiety prevalent since Friday.
More than 10,000 Indian nationals live across Iran. Students, the majority of whom hail from Kashmir, account for about 20% of that figure.
One message instructed Indian students to report by 9:30 am to gate no. 2 of “Velenjak University”, from where buses had been arranged.
“No Indian student should stay back in the boys’ or girls’ dormitories or in private apartments,” the message warned. “Please ensure this message is widely circulated and followed without exception.”
In the same online coordination group, another organiser issued a blunt directive: “We need everyone in Tehran to leave today. Please spread the word.”
Tourists and business travellers on short-term visas were also urged to make their way to the departure point. But navigating a sprawling city like Tehran with minimal access to local transport or reliable internet proved daunting.
“Is this gate number 2?” wrote one Iranian national who was helping her Indian friend locate the bus stop, attaching a photo of a university gate for confirmation.
Others had their relatives in India try to get information as they could not get onto the internet themselves. One woman said her husband was in Tehran’s industrial district and asked whether he should move. Another person shared, “My parents are in Mashhad, and I don’t know whether to send them to Tehran or wait for instructions there.”
The difficulty in accessing the internet meant that there were intermittent complaints from people unable to access the registration forms needed to get on the embassy’s radar.
By the end of the day, approximately 600 Indian students had been evacuated from Tehran and were en route to Qom, about 140 kilometres to the capital's south. The majority were enrolled at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
Separate arrangements were also made for Indian students studying at the Urmia University of Medical Sciences in the country's far west.
'Blocked roads'
But it was clear that many Indian nationals remained in Tehran – some of them unable to receive the information in time.
There were also Indians who chose, at least for now, to stay put.
“I want to leave too, but it is not about if, but how. All the roads, highways to Qom are blocked,” said Tejpal Singh Sahni, a Delhi-based businessman who had arrived a week earlier on a business visa.
“The area I’m staying in is relatively unscathed. I’m in touch with ten to 12 other Indians in Tehran and we’re all coordinating on what to do,” he told The Wire.
Adding to the confusion was a flurry of misinformation. Some social media posts falsely claimed that Indians had been asked to leave Iran within 48 hours. Screenshots of the posts circulated widely, prompting repeated clarifications from more reliable channels debunking them as fake news.
With the Iranian airspace shut, alternatives like travelling via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey gained traction.
An Indian who went to a border crossing between Iran and Azerbaijan posted that he was not allowed to cross until the Azerbaijani embassy provided clearance based on a letter from the Indian embassy.
Until a day earlier, the official advice from the Indian embassy was not to travel through land and maritime routes, with only those near the border making such attempts. But several Indians noted that they had managed to get to a ‘safer’ place and would prefer facilitation at the border, as most border crossings require visas from Indian passport holders.
The challenges of reaching the border remained formidable. When an Indian left behind in Tehran enquired if there will be more buses, an official coordinator had said candidly that it was not clear if the road to Qom was “safe anymore”.
Late on Monday night, the Israeli Air Force claimed to have bombed a truck carrying weapons on a highway between Tehran and Qom, heightening fears.
Qom had become a de facto safe zone, with Indians from Tehran and other cities like Qazvin and Arak now gathering there. But for those already in Qom, uncertainty loomed large.
“We are 14 people in Qom. What now?” asked one. Another confirmed, “We too are 28 people stuck in Qom. Where should I share the list [of people present with them]?” A third added, “Please let me know if evacuation is in process from Qom.”
They were told to be patient and remain in Qom, where accommodation would be arranged, till further notice.
There was also added concern about families with mixed citizenship. One woman wrote: “I live in Qom with two Indian-nationality children. I am Iranian. How do I return to India?” Another echoed this worry from Tehran: “I have two small children. I’m of Indian origin. Will the embassy help us evacuate?”
Later in the day, Israel's military issued a warning in Persian on Monday saying it was going to strike infrastructure belonging to the Iranian military in Tehran's District 3 and urging residents to evacuate the area immediately. Shortly afterwards, an Israeli attack hit the building of a state broadcaster on camera.
As night fell, pleas came in for more buses from cities that had already seen one round leave earlier in the day. Late on Monday night, it was confirmed that another batch of buses was scheduled to leave Tehran the following morning. “Please carry your passport with yourself. Keep your luggage to minimum,” the message instructed.
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