Israel-Iran conflict: India urged to evacuate 1,200 Kashmiri students stuck in Iran

Screengrab of a location hit by Isreali air strikes in Tehran.

• J&K Students Association asks PM Modi to evacuate 1,200 Kashmiris
• Indian students in Iran anxious after US-Israel military strikes
• Indian embassy issues advisory, urges nationals to stay indoors

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The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking evacuation of around 1,200 Kashmiri students from Iran, following military strikes from Israel and the United States.

According to a report in The Times of India, the association’s national convenor Nasir Khuehami said many Indian students, especially those from the Kashmir Valley, are anxious after the escalation. “This morning, we saw that after the conflict between Iran and Israel,... Indian students and Indian citizens who have studied and worked there for many years, are very worried,” he told ANI.

Khuehami said around 3,000 Indian students are currently in Iran, of whom nearly 2,000 are from Kashmir. The association has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to launch a full-fledged evacuation operation. The association has urged the government to be prepared with an evacuation plan if the situation worsens.

"The Government of India should open diplomatic channels and raise the issue with their counterparts,” he said, as quoted by ANI.

Ayesha, an Indian student currently stranded in Iran, told ANI,  ".We are hearing bomb sounds every 15 minutes... It is very disturbing here... When our embassy gave us the advisory to leave Iran, our university didn't cooperate. They said if you leave, you will fail."

#WATCH | Iran: On Iran-Israel conflict, Ayesha, an Indian student who is stranded in Iran, says, "...We all are cut off from the internet... We are hearing bomb sounds every 15 minutes... It is very disturbing here... When our embassy gave us the advisory to leave Iran, our… pic.twitter.com/PgVJUccl12

— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2026

Stating that universities, hospitals, and every other facility is closed for the last 15 days, Ayesha told ANI, "We are very thankful to the embassy; we are in contact with them... They are also helpless right now because the airspace is banned here from every country."

The developments follow military strikes jointly carried out by the US and Israel against Iran, prompting Iran to launch strikes in the Middle East countries. The escalating tension has led to temporary airspace closures in parts of West Asia, affecting flight routes.

Faizan Nabi, Iran coordinator of the students association and a third semester MBBS student at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, said nearly half of the Indian students had returned after the Indian embassy in Tehran issued an advisory on February 23, asking Indian nationals to leave by available means.

However, many chose to stay as they were scheduled to appear for two examinations conducted by Iran’s ministry of health and medical education on March 5. “Many believed they would complete the exams and then leave. They did not anticipate a sudden escalation,” said Nabi.

On Saturday, the Indian embassy in Iran issued a fresh advisory on X urging nationals to exercise caution. “Avoid unnecessary movements and remain indoors. Indians may continue to monitor news, maintain situational awareness and await further guidance from the embassy of India."

Most of the Indian nationals currently in Iran are medical students enrolled across universities in different provinces, with a large number from Jammu and Kashmir, along with students from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and other states.

Many Indian students who want to become doctors choose to study in Iran due to the affordable tuition fees and easy admission compared to India, where one has to crack tough extrance exams such as NEET to get admission into a college offering MBBS degree.