Bring our children back: Parents of Kashmiri students in Iran appeal to Centre

The parents of Kashmiri students currently studying in Iran have appealed to the Centre to bring their children back amid ongoing tensions in the country.

Scores of concerned parents gathered at the Press Enclave in Srinagar, urging the government to intervene.

"We appeal to the prime minister, the external affairs minister, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and the lieutenant governor to evacuate the students from Iran," a parent told reporters here on Wednesday.

He expressed confidence in the government's ability to conduct an evacuation, recalling previous successful operations in countries like Ukraine and Iran. "We are grateful for the support the Centre has provided to students in the past. We are sure the government will not let the situation reach a point when the children get harmed and can facilitate their departure quickly," he added.

The parents claimed that the Indian Embassy in Tehran had advised the students to leave the country on their own. "They are asking the students to contact their parents and arrange their travel independently. We can connect to our children through ISD calls, but with great difficulty, and we urge the authorities at both the Union Territory and the Centre to help facilitate their evacuation," he mentioned further.

In a fresh advisory, the Indian embassy in Tehran has urged all Indians, including students, pilgrims, business persons, and tourists, to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights.

According to estimates, a little over 10,000 Indians, including students, are currently living in Iran.

Another distressed parent sought immediate government action, saying, "We are very worried and need the government to undertake the evacuation as they did previously."

The mother of one student emphasised the difficulty parents are facing in sending travel tickets due to an internet shutdown in Iran. "I urge the government to remove the students from there. Even if we book tickets for them, we cannot send them because of the internet blockade. It is nearly impossible for them. They should be evacuated as soon as possible," she said.

The protests began late last month in Tehran after the Iranian currency rial plunged to record lows. The protests have since spread to all 31 provinces, evolving from an agitation against economic woes to a demand for political change.

The overall situation in the country in the last few days has deteriorated dramatically as the death toll from the nationwide protests has increased to over 2,500, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).