New Delhi, Mar 16 (UNI) Armenia has helped India in the safe evacuation of more than 550 Indian nationals who were stuck in Iran.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Armenia for facilitating the safe evacuation of over 550 Indian nationals from Iran so far. 'Thank the Government and the people of Armenia for facilitating the safe evacuation of over 550 Indian nationals from Iran so far. Appreciate their support in these challenging times,’’ Dr Jaishankar said on X.
Indian nationals, including students, pilgrims, and business professionals, have been travelling by road from various cities in Iran across the border into Armenia. From Armenia, the evacuees have been boarding commercial flights (such as Flydubai via Dubai) from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan to return to New Delhi.
While over 550 have been evacuated so far, the operation is ongoing. A batch of 70 students, primarily from Jammu and Kashmir, arrived in Delhi on March 15 via this route.
The effort is being managed by Indian missions in Tehran and Yerevan in close cooperation with Armenian authorities.
The government said on March 12 that it was assisting Indian nationals who wished to travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia, and take commercial flights to return home. 'We are assisting them with visas. We are also assisting them with land border crossings..." External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We've had about 9,000 Indian nationals who were there or who are there in Iran. These 9,000 Indian nationals comprise students, seafarers, business people, professionals and some pilgrims...Several Indian nationals, mostly students, left the country and reached home,’’ he said.
Jaiswal said the government had also shifted several Indian nationals, including students and pilgrims, who were based in Tehran to other safer locations and cities in the country and is also assisting Indian nationals who wish to travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia and take commercial flights to return home. The government is assisting them with visas and land border crossings.
UNI RB 1538