'No Internet, dangerous protests': Indians return from Iran amid unrest, thank govt for support
PTC News Desk: A late-night scene unfolded at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday as several Indian citizens returned from Iran, days after New Delhi advised its nationals to leave the country due to intensifying protests and a rapidly deteriorating security situation.
Their return came after strong advisories from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Tehran, urging all Indians — including students, pilgrims, tourists and business travellers — to exit Iran using any available means of transport.
The government said it was closely monitoring events and was “committed to doing everything necessary” for the safety of its people. Passengers arriving in Delhi described a worsening atmosphere marked by frequent protests, restrictions on movement and widespread communication outages. “Things are very bad there. The Indian government supported us a lot, and the Embassy guided us on how to leave Iran at the earliest. ‘Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai’,” one traveller said.
Another returnee described the rising fear over the last few weeks. “We stayed for a month, but the trouble began in the last ten to fifteen days. Protesters would block our car and create issues. With the internet shut down, we couldn’t communicate with our families or even reach the embassy. We were very worried,” he explained.
A resident of Jammu and Kashmir who also returned spoke of the severity of the unrest. “The protests had become dangerous. The Indian government did a commendable job in bringing the students back,” he said.
Outside the airport, families waited nervously, many having had no contact with their loved ones due to the blackout. One man, awaiting a relative who had gone to Iran on pilgrimage, said the family remained reassured by New Delhi’s actions. “Iran has always been friendly with India, and we trusted the Modi government’s consistent support. We are grateful to the Government of India for making this possible. We are relieved our family member is back,” he said.
In its advisory, the Indian Embassy in Tehran cited the “changing situation” and urged Indian nationals to leave via commercial flights or other available routes. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated a previous January 5 advisory, strongly recommending that Indians avoid travelling to Iran for now, and urging those who remain there to stay vigilant and keep away from any protests or public demonstrations.
- With inputs from agencies
