Govt takes BIG step amid Israel-Iran conflict, says this on Indian students stranded in Iran

Some Indian students in Iran were being shifted to safer places within the Middle Eastern country, the central government said in a statement early on Monday. As per the statement, the government was also assessing "other feasible options," without disclosing what those options were. This comes as Iran and Israel continue to trade missiles attacks, with neither country showing any signs of backing down as yet.

'Monitoring situation'
"The Indian Embassy in Tehran (capital of Iran) is continuously monitoring the security situation and engaging Indian students in Iran to ensure their safety. In some cases, students are being relocated with the Embassy's facilitation to safer places within Iran. Other feasible options are also under examination," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement posted on X.

Indian students in Iran
On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had spoken to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, raising concerns over students from the union territory stuck in Iran. More than 1,500 Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, are currently stranded in Iran, according to unofficial estimates. The majority of the students in Tehran, Shiraz, and Qom cities of the country are pursuing professional courses, mainly MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery).
Earlier, the Indian embassy in the Iranian capital had asked all Indian citizens and persons of Indian origin to remain vigilant. "Please remember, it is important not to panic, exercise due caution and maintain contact with the Embassy of India in Tehran," it said in an official communication.

Israel-Iran conflict
On Friday, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, killing many of its top-ranking military officials and damaging its nuclear facilities. Iran has retaliated with airstrikes on major Israeli cities, killing over a dozen, as both countries have launched hundreds of missiles at each other over the last three days.