The Embassy stated that it has been closely monitoring the security environment and, despite positive developments, Indian citizens have been “advised to continue to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran until further notice.”

In its advisory, the mission said it is “closely monitoring the prevailing security situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran” and, in view of “recent positive developments and improvement in the overall situation,” has issued updated guidance for Indian nationals contemplating travel to the country.

However, it reiterated that “notwithstanding the recent improvements, Indian nationals are advised to continue to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran until further notice.”

Indian citizens presently residing in Iran, as well as those travelling for unavoidable official or functional reasons, have been advised to “exercise a high degree of caution, remain vigilant at all times, and maintain constant situational awareness.”

They have also been asked to “closely follow local developments through credible sources of information and comply with all instructions issued by local authorities.”

The Embassy further requested all Indian nationals in Iran, as well as incoming travellers, to register their details with the mission at the earliest opportunity.

They have also been advised to regularly monitor the Embassy’s official website and social media platforms for updates and future advisories.

For emergency assistance, the Embassy has provided dedicated helpline numbers: 989128109115, 989128109109, 989128109102, and 989932179359, along with email support at cons.tehran@mea.gov.in. The advisory underlines continued precautionary measures aimed at ensuring the safety and welfare of Indian nationals amid the fluid security situation in the region.

The procession commenced early in the morning from Guru Bazar and proceeded through Jahangir Chowk and Maulana Azad Road towards Dalgate.

As the procession was still underway at the time of filing this report, mourners carrying religious banners continued to move along the designated route while reciting marsiyas (elegies) and nohas (dirges) in remembrance of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Dressed predominantly in black, devotees paid tributes to the sacrifice of Imam Hussain and his companions at Karbala.

Authorities had put in place extensive security measures for the procession. Police, assisted by central armed police forces and the traffic police, deployed a multi-layer security grid, including drone surveillance, to ensure the peaceful conduct of the procession. Traffic movement along the route was suspended to facilitate the smooth passage of mourners.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Sundeep Chakravarthy, said police have meticulously planned arrangements from the starting point to the end point of the procession.

“Our only aim is to ensure that the procession is conducted peacefully and in a dignified manner. For that, we require the cooperation and support of the public with the police and civil administration,” he said.

Officials from the civil administration and police, along with volunteers, were seen distributing water and providing assistance to participants at several locations.

The traditional Guru Bazar–Dalgate procession had remained suspended for over three decades following the onset of militancy in the early 1990s before being revived in 2023. Authorities have also announced comprehensive arrangements for the 10th Muharram procession scheduled later this week.

‎New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that the principle of “Nation First” has been the driving force behind India’s transformation over the past decade, describing the country as not only one of the world’s fastest-growing economies but also a credible and reliable global partner. ‎
Addressing the Republic Summit 2026 on the theme “Great Power India: Nation First”, the Prime Minister said India’s achievements in governance, economic growth, infrastructure expansion and social welfare were rooted in a collective commitment to national development. ‎
Greeting the participants, Modi said the summit was being held at a time when the world was witnessing rapid and consequential changes, making discussions on India’s role and future particularly significant. ‎
“The country has emerged not only as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies but also as a credible and reliable partner. India’s rise is founded on trust, stability and a commitment to the larger global good,” he said. ‎
The Prime Minister said that India’s long civilisational heritage and ability to learn from both successes and challenges were helping shape policies that would influence the country’s trajectory for centuries to come.
Referring to his recent participation in the G7 Summit, he said global leaders recognised India’s unwavering commitment to the principle of Nation First and viewed the country as a dependable partner on the international stage. ‎
“Along with being a rising power, India is also a reliable power,” Modi said, adding that the philosophy of Nation First continued to guide the government’s priorities and aspirations. ‎
Reviewing the government’s 12 years in office, Modi said major initiatives such as Swachh Bharat, Make in India, the promotion of khadi and campaigns encouraging local products had succeeded because citizens embraced the idea of putting the nation above individual interests. ‎
Highlighting changes in tribal and Left Wing Extremism-affected regions, the Prime Minister said areas once associated with violence and underdevelopment were now witnessing unprecedented progress.
He noted that over the past decade, more than 12,000 kilometres of roads, over 9,500 mobile towers, banking facilities, post offices and communication networks had been established in such regions. ‎
“Maoist terror is breathing its last in India,” Modi said, attributing the decline in violence to a combination of sustained security operations and accelerated development efforts.
He cited the growing popularity of the Bastar Olympics as evidence of how opportunities and aspirations among young people were replacing fear and uncertainty in the region. ‎
The Prime Minister said one of India’s greatest achievements had been a shift in national mindset from pessimism to confidence. ‎
“The shift in mindset from ‘this can never be done’ to ‘this will be done’ is India’s greatest achievement,” he said, adding that programmes such as the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks initiatives had transformed some of the country’s most underdeveloped areas into engines of growth. ‎
Modi also emphasised the government’s focus on poverty alleviation and middle-class welfare.
He said nearly 25 crore people had moved out of poverty in recent years, leading to the emergence of a large neo-middle class and creating new opportunities for economic and social mobility. ‎
“The government is empowering the poor and middle-class,” he said, stressing that poverty reduction was not merely a welfare objective but also a catalyst for growth and aspiration. ‎
On housing, the Prime Minister highlighted the creation of a Rs 25,000 crore special fund to revive stalled residential projects. He said the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund had enabled the completion and delivery of thousands of housing units to homebuyers. ‎
Modi also pointed to significant advances in transport and connectivity infrastructure over the past decade. He said metro rail systems now served more than one crore passengers daily, while Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains were strengthening connectivity across the country.
Expanded highways, roads and airports, he added, had improved mobility and generated fresh opportunities in urban as well as emerging growth centres. ‎
Discussing economic reforms, the Prime Minister said tax measures had increased disposable incomes while technology-driven systems such as online filing and faceless assessments had simplified compliance and enhanced transparency. ‎
He further highlighted efforts to reduce healthcare costs through Jan Aushadhi Kendras and welfare programmes that expanded health coverage, particularly for senior citizens. These initiatives, he said, had improved access to affordable healthcare and reduced out-of-pocket expenditure for millions of families. ‎
Observing that India’s development journey had created a culture of rising expectations, Modi said citizens increasingly demanded better infrastructure, faster services and higher standards of living. ‎
“India’s development journey has created a culture of rising expectations. These aspirations are a positive sign of confidence in the country’s future and a reflection of citizens’ belief that progress is achievable,” he said. ‎
The Prime Minister praised India’s youth, entrepreneurs, innovators and start-ups for leading the country’s efforts to seize emerging opportunities in a rapidly changing global environment.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to reforms, innovation and citizen-centric governance, while urging citizens to remain focused on nation-building. ‎
Referring to global disruptions and shifting economic realities, Modi said new opportunities were emerging alongside challenges and called on the younger generation to play a leading role in shaping India’s future. ‎
“The Government stands firmly with the people in this transformative journey. The country is firmly on the path of accelerated development and this momentum will continue to strengthen,” he said. ‎
Expressing confidence in India’s future, the Prime Minister said the vision of a developed nation would be realised through the collective efforts of all citizens. ‎“The collective efforts of 140 crore Indians will realise the dream of a Viksit Bharat,” Modi said, extending his best wishes to the people of the country.

“We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel,”

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Thursday.

“The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold,” he added.

Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday with Iran in France, launching a 60-day negotiation period beginning Thursday aimed at reaching a final agreement,

according to Xinhua.

The MoU calls for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

However, Israel has said it does not intend to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.

The Education Minister announced stringent measures after the earlier exam held on May 3 was cancelled last month over allegations of paper leak. Pradhan directed the officials to remain vigilant and ensure that necessary measures were in place for the “free and fair” conduct of the re-examination.

He urged for robust central and state-level coordination, directing the appointed officers in the various states to handle the re-examination process, while reporting to the command centre of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the central body conducting entrance examinations in India.

During the meeting, Director General, NTA, Abhishek Singh, stated that NTA was working with all stakeholders concerned, including the district-level coordination committees headed by the DMs, state police departments, and intelligence agencies, to ensure that the re-examination was conducted smoothly, the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, the government temporarily banned Telegram, a major messaging app, until June 22, a day after the exam, over concerns of the misuse of the platform for cheating.

The ministry also asked the app to disable the message-editing feature until 30 June in India, saying that it had been used to “fabricate” evidence of paper leaks.

The restriction was issued under a provision of India’s IT law that allows the government to block access to online platforms in the interests of the country’s “sovereignty and integrity”.

NTA welcomed the move, saying that it was taken in response to the “organised use of the platform (Telegram) by cheating rackets to defraud candidates”.

Taking to social media, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has called the ban a “mistake”, arguing that the move by the Indian IT Ministry would not “stop anything”, as those responsible for the leaks have already moved to other apps.

The company challenged the decision on Wednesday, taking the Indian government to Court. Justice Tejas Karia heard the matter in Court and asked the government to present their arguments on Thursday, while upholding the ban.

“We have said from the very beginning that enriched materials will not be taken from the country. One option is down-blending within Iran. This is not a new option,” he said on Iranian television.

The diplomat made this statement after the announcement of the signing of a memorandum with the United States on ending the conflict, which is expected to be followed by negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme and sanctions against Iran.

The United States will withdraw troops from areas adjacent to Iran within 30 days of the final agreement, and will not deploy additional forces until then, Iranian news agency IRNA reported, citing the text of the memorandum.

“The United States also undertakes to withdraw troops from areas adjacent to Iran within 30 days of the signing of the final agreement,” the fourth paragraph of the memorandum read.

At the same time, according to the ninth paragraph, the United States will not send additional forces to the region after the signing of the memorandum, the document added.

“Iran has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon! Also, the story that the U.S. is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats!!!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

His remarks came just hours after Vice President JD Vance suggested that Iran “could have access” to a $300 billion reconstruction fund if it complies with the terms of a deal, with funding expected to come from Gulf nations.

“That’s the sort of thing they could have access to, funded by the Gulf Coast coalition, so long as they honor their end of the obligation,” Vance said in an interview with CBS.

Vance was likely referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Moreover, CNN quoted US official’s earlier briefing to reporters, saying, “We discussed the possibility of releasing frozen funds, sanctions relief, you know, a big $300 billion fund to rebuild their country, and all of these things are going to be tied to performance.”

“And what will be discussed with them is, you’ll see in the MOU, we discussed the possibility of releasing frozen funds, sanctions relief, you know, a big $300 billion fund to rebuild their country,” a senior US official said.

The New York Times earlier reported that a draft agreement included a potential $300 billion reconstruction investment fund for Iran, citing Iranian and diplomatic sources.

However, senior U.S. officials clarified that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed digitally over the weekend is only an initial step, with detailed technical negotiations expected to begin later in the week and led by Vance.

Before the MOU was signed over the weekend, the vice president said Tehran would not be “receiving any cash” under the agreement with the U.S.

“First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” Vance wrote on X. “The deal is structured to ensure that the US and its allies concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region.”