Scores of Indians stranded in Iran, Israel
Scores of Indian nationals – including students, pilgrims, researchers, caregivers and workers – remain stranded in Iran and Israel amid escalating military conflict between the two countries.
Indian embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv are coordinating evacuations, but for many scattered across religious centres and universities, return remains uncertain and fraught with risk. Ten students from Bulandshahr’s Sakhni village in UP have been difficult to reach since missiles hit Iran earlier this week. Among them is 22-year-old Sadaf Zehra, a 3rd-year MBBS student at Tehran University. Her father, Zia-ul-Hassan, said, “She said she was fine, then her phone went off.
The next day she called and said the university had moved them to a safer location three hours away.” Azhar Abbas, another student, narrowly escaped a missile strike that killed five of his classmates. “We spoke to him in a video call three days ago,” said his uncle, Muzammil Abbas. “Since then, there has been no contact.” Abbasi Beghum, 60, said her blood pressure rose dangerously after hearing about the attacks. “I lost my husband three years ago.
I worked hard to send my son abroad.” Across UP, many others are in similar situations. Several pilgrims from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Meerut remain stuck in Iran. Among them are 28 pilgrims from Lucknow, including 83-year-old Kaneez Haider. Her son, Abbas Muzaffar, who travelled with her, said, “We are safe for now, but we’re desperate to return. Hotels are expensive. We didn’t budget for such delays”
Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike
They had left for Iraq on May 27 and entered Iran on June 9.
Their itinerary included visits to Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur and Kashan. Many had first performed Haj, which concluded with Eid on Monday, and then proceeded to Iran – a common route for Shia pilgrims visiting religious shrines. Tour operator Aqeel Jafar Rizvi of Mehndi Tours and Travels said over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow were in Iran, many of them now struggling with funds and limited access to medicines. Families in Kithaur’s Isapur area of Meerut confirmed that 11 more pilgrims – including couples and children – remain stranded. Masoom Raza and his family were scheduled to fly back five days a
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