Owaisi, Omar call for urgent evacuation plan of Indian students amid Iran protests

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have urged the Centre to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and evacuation of Indian students stranded in Iran, as unrest in the country continues to intensify.

Owaisi said the safety of Indian students must be treated as a top priority, stressing that swift action on the ground is required. While welcoming External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s conversation with Iran’s foreign minister, Owaisi said diplomatic engagement alone was insufficient at a time when students and their families were living in fear.

“It is good that the External Affairs Minister has spoken to his Iranian counterpart, but talking is not enough. Concrete steps are needed urgently to bring our students back safely,” Owaisi said, according to ANI.

He said several anxious parents had reached out to him over the past few days. Owaisi noted that around 70 to 80 Indian students are currently studying at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University, including five to eight students from Hyderabad. Beyond this, he said there are hundreds of Indian students spread across Iran who are feeling frightened and helpless due to the deteriorating situation.

Highlighting the challenges faced by students and their families, Owaisi pointed to severe communication and financial constraints. “The internet is down in Iran. Parents cannot even purchase tickets and send them to their children. Many of these students come from poor backgrounds and simply do not have the financial capacity to arrange travel on their own,” he said.

Owaisi further claimed that some universities are not returning students’ passports, preventing them from leaving the country. He said this has added to the distress of both students and parents, many of whom are unable to get reliable updates about their children’s safety.

“Parents are extremely upset and anxious because they don’t know what is happening to their children. The government must immediately draw up a clear evacuation plan and ensure that every stranded student is brought back home safely,” he said.

Omar Abdullah speaks to EAM Jaishankar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also raised concerns over the safety of Indian nationals in Iran. In a post on X, Abdullah said he had spoken to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about the rapidly evolving situation and the risks faced by Indian students, including those from Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the external affairs minister briefed him on the ground situation and outlined the steps being planned by the ministry to respond to the developments. “I’m grateful for his assurance that all steps will be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of students and other people from J&K who are in Iran now,” Abdullah wrote.

Iran protests intensify

Iran has been gripped by widespread protests since December 2025 after the national currency, the rial, plunged to record lows, triggering a severe cost-of-living crisis. What began as economic protests has since escalated into a nationwide uprising, drawing international attention and scrutiny.

According to a US-based human rights news agency, more than 3,400 people have been killed in the Iranian regime’s crackdown on protesters so far. The worsening situation has raised serious concerns about the safety of foreign nationals, including Indian students pursuing higher education in the country.

As unrest deepens and communication remains disrupted, pressure is mounting on the Indian government to act quickly and decisively to bring stranded students back home.