NEW DELHI: In a significant diplomatic move, Iran has eased its airspace restrictions to facilitate the evacuation of Indian nationals as tensions with Israel escalated into the eighth day on Friday.
The decision, described as a special gesture by Iranian authorities, allows India to operate emergency evacuation flights to bring its citizens home safely.
Three special flights operated by Iran's Mahan Air will carry approximately 1,000 Indian nationals, including a large number of students, from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to New Delhi, diplomatic sources said.
The first flight is scheduled to arrive in India late Friday night at 11:30 PM IST. The remaining two flights will land on Saturday — one at 10:00 AM IST and the other at 4:30 PM IST.
Iranian officials have confirmed that all Indian nationals in the country are currently safe. They also stated that more evacuation flights could be arranged if necessary.
This evacuation effort is part of Operation Sindhu, which successfully brought back 110 Indian students — mostly from Jammu and Kashmir — from Iran. The students were first moved to Armenia, then flown to Doha, and finally arrived in Delhi on Thursday morning.
Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Mohammad Javad Hosseini on Friday reiterated Tehran’s commitment to the safety of foreign nationals and highlighted the cooperation between the two countries in times of crisis.
The evacuation comes amid mounting regional instability as the conflict between Iran and Israel continues to escalate. India has been closely monitoring the situation and is working to ensure the well-being of its citizens through diplomatic channels and contingency plans.
Officials in both countries are coordinating efforts to ensure a smooth and safe evacuation process. “We are constantly ensuring the safety of our nationals by making necessary arrangements against difficult circumstances,” said an official.