New Delhi: In a notable diplomatic gesture, Iran has relaxed its airspace restrictions to support the evacuation of Indian citizens amid escalating tensions with Israel, now entering their eighth day.
Iranian authorities have granted special permission to India to conduct emergency evacuation flights, enabling the safe return of its nationals.
According to diplomatic sources, around 1,000 Indian citizens, many of them students, will be flown from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to New Delhi on three special flights operated by Iran’s Mahan Air.
The first flight is expected to arrive in India late Friday night at 11:30 PM IST, while the remaining two flights are scheduled to land on Saturday at 10:00 AM IST and 4:30 PM IST, respectively.
Iranian authorities have confirmed that all Indian nationals currently in the country are safe and added that additional evacuation flights can be organized if the situation demands, TNIE reported.
The ongoing evacuation is part of Operation Sindhu, under which 110 Indian students — the majority hailing from Jammu and Kashmir — were previously brought back to India. Those students were first relocated to Armenia, then flown to Doha, and finally reached Delhi on Thursday morning.
Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to protecting foreign nationals and emphasized the strong cooperation between Iran and India during times of crisis.
The evacuation operation comes as regional tensions continue to rise amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. Indian officials have been closely observing the developments and are actively working through diplomatic channels and contingency plans to safeguard Indian citizens.
Authorities from both nations are collaborating to ensure that the evacuation process proceeds smoothly and safely. One official noted that continuous efforts are being made to protect Indian nationals and to respond effectively to the evolving situation.