Srinagar: As the Middle East conflict intensifies, Kashmiri students stranded in Iran are pleading for expedited evacuation amid sweltering heat, limited facilities, and growing fear of further escalation.
Saima (name changed), a Kashmiri medical student studying in Tehran, described her escape from the Iranian capital to the relatively calmer city of Qom as a moment of brief relief. “There are no sounds of bombs here,” she told Azadi Times over the phone. “Compared to Tehran, Qom feels much safer — at least for now.”
She traveled over 200 kilometers with hundreds of students, including her brother, to reach Qom, a city now acting as a transit hub for Indian nationals awaiting evacuation through Armenia and nearby maritime routes.
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‘From War Zone to Heat Zone’
While Qom may be safer from airstrikes, students report facing other challenges, including temperatures soaring above 45°C and poor accommodation conditions.
“We’re in a building with no air conditioning,” said Mohsin (name changed), another student from Kashmir. “It’s extremely uncomfortable, and the uncertainty is the worst part. We saw signs of bombing along the way from Isfahan. We don’t know how long we’ll be here or how we’ll be moved next.”
The Norduz-Armenia border, the nearest safe exit, remains nearly a day’s travel away — and the roads are reportedly tense and risky. With Iran’s airspace closed, the Indian government is exploring both land and sea routes via Qatar for evacuations.
Students Injured, Families Worried
Tensions escalated among families back home after reports confirmed a bomb strike at a student dormitory in Tehran, leaving at least two Kashmiri students injured.
“This is a relatively safe place, but not a permanent solution,” a student said in a video that has since gone viral on social media. “We are thankful to the Indian Embassy, but we urge authorities to speed up the evacuation.”
Evacuation in Progress
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian Embassy in Tehran is in constant contact with students and is coordinating evacuation efforts. “We are working to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in Iran,” the MEA said in a statement.
Over 110 Indian students have already crossed into Armenia and are expected to arrive in New Delhi by Wednesday.
Still, for hundreds of others — many from Kashmir — the wait in Qom continues under the shadow of uncertainty, fear, and harsh weather.
Some content in this report is based on original reporting by Greater Kashmir.
(With inputs from Iranian student network and MEA updates)
