Airstrikes Trigger Panic Among Indian Students In Iran, Associations Demand Evacuation
A fresh strike occurred approximately 300 meters from the dormitories in Urmia, where Indian students are living, triggering panic among them.
Published : March 3, 2026 at 8:28 PM IST
Srinagar: Two Indian student associations on Tuesday said that fresh airstrikes in Iran's Urmia have triggered panic among Indian students marooned in the war-torn country, demanding their relocation to safe places.
A fresh strike occurred approximately 300 meters from dormitories in Urmia, where Indian students are living, triggering panic among them, said National Convenor Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) Nasir Khuehami.
"The force of the explosion was so intense that it shook the entire building, causing alarm and deep distress," he said. "The situation on the ground is extremely tense and volatile. They have informed us that fighter jets can be heard almost every hour, creating an atmosphere of constant fear and uncertainty.”
On February 23, the Indian Embassy in Tehran advised Indian citizens, including students, pilgrims, businesspersons, and tourists, to depart Iran without delay using available means of transport, including commercial flights. Currently, around 1200 students, mainly admitted to MBBS courses from India, are stuck in Iran, where Israel and the United States have been carrying out strikes killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
But the students were caught with scheduled national examinations— the Uloompaya (Comprehensive Basic Science Examination and the pre-internship examination on March 5—as the authorities refused to postpone them.
The JKSA urged External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to take immediate and decisive measures to facilitate the relocation of Indian students to safer locations until a full-fledged evacuation operation is formally launched. All India Medical Students' Association president Dr Mohammad Momin Khana also urged the authorities to relocate students to safe places from Urmia University.
"The sudden escalation has intensified concerns among Indian students and their families, particularly those from Kashmir, who are closely monitoring developments. Many students have expressed uncertainty about their safety and are urgently appealing to authorities for evacuation to a safer location," he added.
In the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel that started on February 28, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. In retaliation, Iran is firing drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf.
Read More
