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The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday said around 100 Indian students stranded in war-torn Iran, including a majority from Kashmir, are set to return to India on March 14 and 15 through commercial flights, marking the first batch of students returning amid the ongoing Israel-Iran tensions.
National Convenor Nasir Khuehami said the students will travel to Armenia's Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan via the land route before boarding commercial flights back to India. Khuehami said that most of the students are scheduled to return on March 14, while the remaining students are expected to arrive on March 15. The students have already booked their flight tickets and are expected to depart for the Armenia border on Thursday from different parts of Iran, mostly from the city of Urmia. "The students will be travelling on Flydubai flights scheduled for March 14 and March 15, which will operate as connecting flights via Dubai, and from Dubai they will fly to Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi," Khuehami said. He added that the first batch, comprising the majority of students, will travel on Flydubai flight FZ8124. The Association said it had earlier requested External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate safe transit and grant necessary permissions for the students to travel through the Armenia land route, which currently appears to be the most feasible and accessible corridor for safe passage from northwestern Iran. Khuehami said the Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged the request and the necessary permissions were subsequently facilitated, enabling the students to proceed with their travel arrangements. He further said that during his meetings with senior officials, including the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian Ambassador to India, and other officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, it was conveyed that there is currently no formal evacuation plan in place for Indian students in Iran, and those returning at present are travelling through commercial flight arrangements. The Association added that the Ministry has also advised students in Iran to avoid sharing their exact locations or personal details on social media platforms as a precautionary measure, in order to ensure their safety and prevent exposure to potential risks. Khuehami said the JKSA remains in close contact with the students and is coordinating their travel, security, facilitation, and arrival arrangements in India with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir Government. He also informed that he has been in touch with Advisor to the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Nasir Sogami, and that deluxe AC buses will be arranged at IGI Airport, New Delhi, to facilitate the onward journey of students from Kashmir who are scheduled to arrive on March 14, March 15, and subsequent days via Armenia and other routes. "The Association will continue to monitor the situation closely and extend all possible assistance to ensure the safe return of Indian students from the region," Khuehami added. (ANI)
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