Raipur couple anxious as daughter in Iran is not reachable after her ‘rescue appeal’

Amidst intensifying efforts to bring back Indian nationals stranded in Iran, an elderly couple in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur has expressed concerns about their married daughter who lives in the embattled country with her husband and two sons.

In the last WhatsApp call they had with their daughter Aiman Zaidi, 28, four days ago, Kasim Raza, 60, and his wife Shaheen, 55, heard her sobbing and requesting them to rescue her.

The couple say there has been no communication since then, making them increasingly anxious with each passing day.

“We discussed the evolving situation [referring to the Iran-Israel military conflict] and initially both sides tried to calm each other down saying things will be fine. However, before disconnecting the call, my daughter appealed to us to take her out of Qom city [in north central Iran] and bring her to India,” said Ms. Raza.

Mr. Raza is a driver with the Raipur Central Jail administration, and the family lives in the staff accommodation within the jail campus. He said that in 2017, Ms. Aiman got married to Ejaz Zaidi from Damoh in Madhya Pradesh who is enrolled in a religious education programme, “Maulviyat”, in Iran. The following year, Ms. Aiman too moved to Iran and has been living there ever since.

After her last conversation with her daughter, Ms. Raza tried to call them again but to no avail. Based on what they have heard on TV news and other media, the couple feels there could be an internet shutdown in the area where Ms. Aiman’s family resides alongside several other Indian families. Mr. Ejaz was scheduled to fly to India for Muharram festival on June 13, the day Israel launched an attack on Iran triggering the conflict. His flight was cancelled as a result, they recalled.

While the overall safety of the family remains a primary concern, the couple is also worried because of the worsening thyroid condition of their daughter and wonder whether she would receive any medical assistance if needed in this state of emergency.

So far they haven’t made any formal request to the authorities but said they might do so if Ms. Aiman remains incommunicado.