India to evacuate Nepalese, Sri Lankan nationals from Iran amid escalating tensions

Tehran, June 21 (IANS) As India presses ahead with Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran amid intensifying hostilities in the Middle East, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has announced that, upon formal requests from the governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the evacuation operation will now also include nationals from these two neighbouring countries.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy stated, "On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy's evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka."

The embassy also issued emergency contact numbers for affected citizens to seek immediate assistance: +989010144557, +989128109115, and +989128109109.

A Telegram channel has also been activated for effective coordination and communication.

The development comes as tensions escalate sharply between Iran and Israel, following the launch of Israel's 'Operation Rising Lion,' a military initiative reportedly aimed at crippling Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has responded with a series of counterstrikes, leading to a rapidly deteriorating security environment in the region.

In response to the mounting crisis, India initiated Operation Sindhu to ensure the safe return of its nationals from Iran. On Saturday morning, a special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, arrived in Delhi, carrying Indian citizens out of danger zones.

This followed another successful effort late Friday night when 290 Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, returned safely to India from Mashhad after Iran temporarily reopened its airspace.

So far, 517 Indian nationals have been safely brought back under the ongoing operation.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) remain actively engaged in coordination and logistical support to facilitate continued evacuations.

Iran has also lifted airspace restrictions to allow three charter flights to evacuate approximately 1,000 Indian nationals -- mostly students -- from Mashhad, one of the cities affected by the regional volatility.

--IANS

int/sd/mr