Ensure safety of Kashmir students in Iran, Omar urges MEA

With Israel’s massive strike on Iran on Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has requested the Ministry of External Affairs to “ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students currently stuck in Iran.”

“Their families are deeply worried, and we stand with them in this difficult time. Every step must be taken to safeguard our students,” Abdullah wrote on his official X account. Jammu and Kashmir Students Association also wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the safety of students from Kashmir, who are studying in Iran. The association said numerous students have contacted the Indian Embassy in Tehran seeking support, relocation or evacuation.

“However, they have not received any reassuring response or concrete information about what the next steps will be. They remain in a state of confusion and despair, with no clarity about evacuation plans, safety protocols or emergency assistance,” it said.

The association said many students told them they are scared. “The parents back home are extremely worried. Several families from Kashmir have reached out to us, overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty. We are receiving an increasing number of distress calls from parents who are in tears, begging for their children to be brought back safely,” the association said in the letter.

The association demanded a comprehensive evacuation plan. “If the situation continues to escalate, timely evacuation could be the difference between life and death,” it said, adding that the Ministry “should urgently coordinate with the Iranian government and relevant international agencies to ensure the protection and, if necessary, the safe passage of Indian students.”