SRINAGAR (KIMS) — In a significant development, around 600 Indian students — including 500 from Kashmir — have safely reached Mashhad from Qom, as part of the ongoing evacuation process amid growing security concerns in Iran.
This is the second group of students who were previously relocated to Qom, where they spent three days.
The evacuation process is being carried out in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Tehran.
Mashhad, situated near Iran’s northeastern border, lies approximately 1,000 kilometers from Qom, with the road journey taking nearly 15 hours.
The students hail from various academic institutions across Iran, including Islamic Azad University, Iran University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, from Mashhad the students are expected to be moved to Turkmenistan, where arrangements are being made for their onward travel to New Delhi, most likely by tomorrow.
“We are in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Iran to ensure the safety and timely evacuation of the students,” said Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association.
The evacuation efforts follow a series of anonymous attacks and rising tensions in certain Iranian cities, which have caused considerable anxiety among the families of students back home in Kashmir and across the country. — (KIMS)