The Indian government has advised its nationals in Iran to leave the country in view of the volatile security situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday, stressing that it is closely tracking developments and is “committed to doing whatever is necessary for their well-being”.
Providing details, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Approximately 9,000 of our citizens are currently residing in Iran. The majority of them are students. In light of recent developments, we have issued two or three advisories.” He was speaking at the weekly press briefing in the national capital.
Elaborating on the advisories, Jaiswal said, “We have advised our citizens in India not to travel to Iran at this time, and Indian citizens residing in Iran to leave the country by whatever means are available.” He added that the government was keeping a close watch on the situation and remained committed to ensuring the well-being of Indian nationals.
The remarks come amid rising regional tensions linked to Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests, which have reportedly killed hundreds, and concerns over possible US intervention.
An advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Tehran asked Indian nationals, including students, businesspeople, pilgrims and tourists, to depart Iran through available means of transport, including commercial flights, citing the “evolving situation”. Another advisory issued by the MEA in New Delhi strongly urged Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice. It reiterated an earlier advisory issued on January 5, asking Indians in Iran to remain cautious and avoid participating in protests or demonstrations.
The advisories were issued against the backdrop of repeated warnings by US President Donald Trump, who has threatened military intervention if Iranian security forces kill protesters. Trump has also encouraged the protesters, saying “help is on the way”, and warned of “very strong action” if detained protesters are executed.
India has also come under renewed focus over its longstanding ties with Iran following Trump’s announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on countries doing business with Tehran. New Delhi has said the move is expected to have a “minimal impact”, noting that India-Iran trade, at about USD 1.68 billion, accounts for just 0.15 per cent of India’s total trade.
In its advisory, Indian nationals were also asked to keep travel and immigration documents, including passports, readily available. Indians residing in Iran on long-term visas were advised to register with the Embassy.
The protests began at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar on December 28 over the Iranian rial’s record fall in value and later spread nationwide. The currency’s decline followed multiple crises, including unprecedented water shortages, power outages, rising unemployment and surging inflation.
