Operation Sindhu: Iran lifts airspace ban to evacuate 1,000 Indians amid conflict; 3 planes flying out with rescued citizens | India News
NEW DELHI: Iran has made a special accommodation by removing airspace restrictions for three charter flights to evacuate approximately 1,000 Indian nationals, predominantly students, from Mashhad.The Iranian embassy’s deputy chief of mission, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, indicated that additional evacuation flights could be arranged if necessary in the forthcoming days.Following Israeli strikes on Tehran, Indian nationals were relocated from the capital to Mashhad. New Delhi is coordinating the evacuation flights, which will be operated by Iranian carrier Mahan.India initiated Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran and Israel due to security concerns stemming from tensions between the two nations.The initial chartered flight transporting Indians is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Friday evening.“We consider Indians as our own people. Iran’s airspace is closed but because of this issue, we are making arrangements to open it for the safe passage of Indian nationals,” Hosseini stated during a press conference. “We consider Indian nationals to be our own people. They are like Iranians,” he added. “About 1,000 Indians who were relocated from Tehran to Qom and then to Mashad will be evacuated to New Delhi on three charter flights,” Hosseini explained. “The first flight will land tonight at the New Delhi airport and there will be two more flights on Saturday,” he confirmed.The Iranian official mentioned the possibility of arranging additional flights if needed. Hosseini confirmed that Tehran is collaborating with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Tehran to ensure safe evacuation procedures.“We are arranging for the safe passage of Indians who want to leave via air or via road through third countries, or directly from Iran,” he stated. He assured that all Indians in Iran are safe, whilst noting that some Indian students suffered injuries during an Israeli air strike on a student dormitory in Tehran recently.On Thursday, 110 Indian students returned home after travelling from Iran to Armenia via land crossing.The military confrontation between Israel and Iran commenced over a week ago.
