A number of Indians, together with college students, have arrived in New Delhi in industrial flights from Iran amid widespread protests within the Islamic nation and Tehran’s crackdown that has to this point killed greater than 2,500 individuals.
The flights arrived on the Delhi airport late on Friday (January 16, 2026) night time. It was not instantly recognized what number of Indians had arrived in these industrial flights.
Upon arriving on the airport, Ali Naqui, who was part of a gaggle of 12 to 13 travellers, was requested in the event that they confronted any problem in Iran. “We did not face any drawback,” he replied.
“We’ve got returned from Tehran. Earlier, we have been in Iraq, then we travelled to Iran. After an eight-day keep there, we have now returned to India,” he instructed PTI.
A younger lady, who’s finding out at a medical faculty in Shiraz, mentioned, “The Web was not working. So, we did not precisely know what was taking place across the nation.”
The coed mentioned the scenario within the metropolis she was in was “positive”. “We’ve got come again on our personal in a industrial flight, and never on the association of the Indian authorities.”
Late on Friday (January 16, 2026) night time, many individuals arrived on the airport to obtain their kin arriving from Iran. Whereas many appeared to be gripped by a way of hysteria, they mentioned that the Indian Embassy in Tehran has been reassuring all Indian nationals there, by means of no matter technique of communication obtainable.
Abbas Qazmi, whose mom and aunt returned from Iran, mentioned, “There was positively some anxiousness as a result of it was a worldwide challenge, and when the Web was shut, we have been fairly frightened.”
“However as quickly as communication resumed, we realised that issues have been underneath management. That gave us assurance that the whole lot was positive. We had registered with the embassy as quickly because the advisory was issued and have been ready for additional directions. My mom’s flight was already scheduled, so issues went easily, and we’re blissful,” he mentioned.
Exterior Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in his weekly media briefing on Friday (January 16, 2026), mentioned, “At current, there are roughly 9,000 of our nationals residing in Iran. Most of them are our college students”.
Along with this, there are sailors, pilgrims, and a few people who find themselves related to enterprise and reside there, he mentioned, including that in view of the latest developments and actions going down there, “we have now issued two to a few advisories”.
“In these advisories, we have now said that our residents shouldn’t journey to Iran right now. And the Indian nationals who’re at present residing there have been suggested that, by means of no matter means obtainable to depart the nation at current, industrial flights are nonetheless working, and that possibility can also be obtainable; they need to make use of these and go away,” he mentioned.
Aside from this, New Delhi is “carefully monitoring the scenario and developments there”, Mr. Jaiswal had mentioned.
“So far as the protection and pursuits of our individuals are involved, no matter must be accomplished of their curiosity, if the necessity arises, we’re absolutely dedicated to doing that,” he added.
Iran has been rocked by a wave of protests prior to now a number of weeks over inflation and forex devaluation. The protests started late final month in Tehran after the Iranian forex, the Rial, plunged to document lows. The protests have since unfold to all 31 provinces, evolving from an agitation in opposition to financial woes to a requirement for political change.
Printed – January 17, 2026 04:20 pm IST
