Iran lifts airspace curbs to evacuate 1,000 Indians

In a special gesture, Iran has opened up its otherwise-closed airspace exclusively for three charter flights to evacuate about 1,000 Indian nationals, mostly students, from the Iranian city of Mashhad.

An official said one of the flights was to land in New Delhi around 11.30 pm on Friday while the other two were planned for Saturday. The official said another flight carrying stranded Indians was to take off from Ashgabat in Turkmenistan and land in New Delhi around 3 am on Saturday.

The Indians were moved to Mashhad, which is located near the tri-junction of Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, from Tehran following Israeli attacks on the Iranian capital city. India launched Operation Sindhu on Wednesday to bring back its nationals from Iran and Israel in view of the skirmishes between the two nations.

The flights coming from Mashhad are being operated by Mahan Air, a privately owned Iranian airline based in Tehran, said sources. India will be reimbursing the airline for the services. The flight coming from Turkmenistan is a chartered plane arranged by India. None of the flights will be overflying Pakistan, which is the shortest air route from Iran.

Nasir Khuehami, national convener of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, said, “Three Mahan Air flights will bring Indian students back to New Delhi from Mashhad. A total of 1,000 students will be returning on these flights. Despite the closure of airspace, a special exception has been granted for evacuating Indian students. Around 500 Kashmiri students are among those returning.”

Regarding arrangements for travel from Delhi to Srinagar, Khuehami said transportation had been arranged. “Deluxe AC buses are ready at the Delhi airport,” he said. At least 1,000 Indian students who are stranded in conflict-hit Iranian cities are expected to land in Delhi over the next two days.

On Thursday, 110 Indian students were evacuated from northern Iran and transported to Yerevan in Armenia by road, from where they arrived here on a special flight.

These students were enrolled at Urmia Medical University in Iran, close to the border with Turkey, a region that has seen missile activity and troop movement.

Also, the government has decided to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel. The Ministry of External Affairs yesterday said Indian nationals who wished to leave Israel will be facilitated through the land borders and, thereafter, by air to India. It asked all Indian nationals to register themselves with the Indian Embassy in Israel at (https://www.indembassyisrael.gov.in/indian_national_reg).