Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 16, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
The Embassy of India Tehran in coordination with local Iranian authorities on Monday (June 16, 2025) started relocating Indian students in Iran to safer places as Israel-Iran conflict intensified with both sides firing missiles and drones at each other.
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According to sources, buses have started relocating students from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University Tehran Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran). In view of the intense bombing from Israel, the priority at present is to shift Indian students from Tehran as soon as possible, it has been learnt.
“Relocation of students is expected to take place soon in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tajrish and Urmia University of Medical Sciences near Iran’s border with Turkey and Azerbaijan,” sources have said. Indian officials have advised students that “it is highly advisable to move out of Tehran by availing of this bus facility.” Buses for relocation are also expected to start taking out Indian students from Qom starting from 10 a.m. onwards.
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In the uncertain situation in the midst of Israel-Iran conflict, there were possibilities that some Indians could exit Iran through the Azerbaijan-Iran border in the north but officials are advising Indian students who form majority of the Indian citizens in Iran, to take the bus to safer locations inside Iran before they are evacuated.
Officials are however tightlipped about the location where the students and professionals would be taken, but an official with knowledge of the fast moving operation said the Indian embassy is working on an evacuation plan with support from local authorities.
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The Hindu had reported on Monday (June 16, 2025) that Iran’s closed airspace has made it impossible to evacuate Indian citizens by air and therefore a plan to evacuate them by ship in the southern port of Bandar Abbas is under consideration. It is not clear as of now if overland routes of evacuation through Iran’s northern borders with Azerbaijan and Armenia would also be an option. When asked if Indians in Iran could be evacuated through Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan, an official source did not discount the possibility. Indian authorities have registered citizens in Iran through Google forms and required details are being collected, it has been learnt.
Published – June 16, 2025 11:48 am IST
