The long way home: 100 Indian students in war-torn Iran begin risky journey back

With air raid sirens and rising tensions becoming part of daily life in parts of Iran, around 100 Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, are preparing to leave the country through a difficult land route, hoping to reach home after days of uncertainty.

The students, largely medical scholars studying at Urmia University in northern Iran, will begin their journey on Thursday towards the Armenian border before flying back to India via Dubai.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), the group will travel by road to the Zulfa border crossing into Armenia. From there, they will proceed to Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan to board commercial flights to India.

A MULTI-STAGE ESCAPE

The students have booked Flydubai flights that will take them to New Delhi through Dubai, with arrivals expected at Indira Gandhi International Airport on March 14 and March 15.

Speaking to India Today, JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami confirmed the plan.

“The students will be travelling on Flydubai flights scheduled for March 14 and March 15, which will operate as connecting flights via Dubai, and from Dubai they will fly to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi,” Khuehami said.

He added that the first batch of students will travel on Flydubai flight FZ8124.

PAYING THEIR WAY OUT

Despite the worsening situation, the students are arranging most of the journey on their own.

While the Indian Embassy in Tehran has assisted with travel permissions and logistical guidance, there has been no formal government-funded evacuation so far. The students are paying for their Armenian visas as well as their flight tickets to India.

For several families, the cost has added another layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.

PARENTS WAITING BACK HOME

In Srinagar, anxious parents have been meeting officials, including the Divisional Commissioner, seeking more structured government assistance.

Many of the students had stayed back in Iran to appear for mandatory examinations scheduled for March 5. The exams were later cancelled as the security situation deteriorated, leaving them stranded as tensions escalated.

TRANSPORT ARRANGED FROM DELHI

The Jammu and Kashmir government has arranged free bus services from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi to the Valley for the returning students.

The arrangement has been coordinated through the Jammu and Kashmir Resident Commissioner in Delhi.

Some parents, however, say the support came too late.

“We have been going from pillar to post, visiting government offices, but got only assurances and no real help on the ground. Now they have arranged buses. If we can pay for our children’s return from Iran, we can also pay for their flight tickets from Delhi,” one parent said.

STUDENTS IN KERMAN SEEK SAFER EXIT

While students in northern Iran are preparing to leave through Armenia, those studying in Kerman province in the south-east face a far more complicated route.

Travelling to the Armenian border would require nearly two days of road travel through conflict-affected areas. Because of this, several students have requested the Indian embassy to facilitate their exit through the Azerbaijan border, which lies closer to Kerman and is considered less risky.

So far, they say they have not received any confirmation on the request, though they remain hopeful that authorities may reconsider the evacuation route.

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