Irfan Yattoo
Srinagar: The first batch of Indian students studying in Iran has begun making arrangements to return to India via the Armenia border, amid growing concern among families and the absence of an official evacuation plan.
Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, President of the All-India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) J-K said that students have been informed that they may leave Iran through the Armenia border, subject to certain conditions laid down by the Indian Embassy.
Students opting for this route have been asked to first book their flight tickets from Armenia to New Delhi and submit a copy of the ticket to the Indian Embassy for verification.
Only after verification will the Embassy inform them when they can travel from Shiraz to Armenia. Officials have clarified that no student will be allowed to cross the border without a confirmed flight ticket.
As per the advisory shared with the students, they will also have to pay a visa fee of 10 US dollars at the Armenia border. In case students cross the border earlier than their scheduled flight date, they will have to arrange their own accommodation in Armenia until their departure.
Sources said that if 40 to 50 or more students opt for this route, the Embassy may arrange a bus for transportation and possibly hotel accommodation in Urmia before they proceed towards the border. However, the Embassy has made it clear that students choosing this route will travel at their own responsibility, and it will not take responsibility for the journey.
The Embassy’s official advisory continues to ask students to stay where they are, and officials have clarified that no formal evacuation plan has been announced so far.
Under the proposed travel plan, students willing to return will first confirm their participation. If sufficient numbers come forward, a bus will be arranged to Qom, where students will stay overnight at accommodation arranged by the Embassy. The next day, they will travel to the Zulfa border to cross into Armenia. Students have also been advised to keep a gap of five to seven days between leaving Iran and their flight from Armenia to India.
Khan also confirmed that almost all students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences are planning to return to India.
According to available details, over 30 students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences have already booked their tickets and are expected to reach New Delhi on March 15 via Dubai, departing around 1:25 AM. Another group of students is expected to arrive in India on March 16.
Students from Qom have also been offered the same option and are planning to join the group. Many of the remaining students are currently in the process of booking their tickets.
Students informed the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) that if the first group safely reaches India, other students are likely to follow the same route in the coming days.
Meanwhile, parents of Indian students currently studying in Iran met the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, seeking urgent intervention for the safe return of their children.
According to AIMSA, the Commissioner assured them that the authorities are actively addressing the matter, but cautioned that the process may take time.
Some parents also urged Government of India to directly manage the evacuation to ensure the safety of the students. They pointed out that several countries, including Azerbaijan, have already evacuated their citizens from Iran.
