Kashmir students stranded at Iran borders as evacuation stalls

SRINAGAR, Kashmir (MNTV) — Families of students from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir are urging urgent government intervention as hundreds remain stranded at border crossings while attempting to leave Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the region.

Parents say more than 200 students, many studying in Iran’s Isfahan and Golestan provinces, have reached exit routes through Armenia and Azerbaijan but are facing severe delays, financial strain and deteriorating health conditions. Many were forced to arrange their own travel, placing a heavy burden on families already grappling with uncertainty.

According to accounts shared with local media, the evacuation process has slowed significantly at the Azerbaijan border, where only a small number of students are being cleared each day due to procedural bottlenecks. While some students have managed to cross into neighboring countries, others have been stranded for days, missing scheduled flights and incurring mounting expenses.

The situation is particularly acute for students waiting for exit permissions and transit clearances. Engineering students from Kerman and others from institutions such as Shiraz University are among those affected, with several batches originally expected to return between March 20 and March 25 now facing indefinite delays.

Parents say many students have been stuck since mid-March, with limited access to food, accommodation and medical care. Reports indicate that several are suffering from chest infections and influenza-like symptoms, raising concerns about their well-being in overcrowded and uncertain border conditions.

In the past 24 hours, more than 150 Indian students were able to cross into Azerbaijan, offering some relief. However, hundreds remain stranded across multiple exit points, including around 250 students from Kashmir still waiting at the Azerbaijan border alone.

The crisis has unfolded in the context of the wider conflict involving Iran, which has disrupted normal travel routes and forced foreign students to rely on overland evacuation through neighboring countries.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said it is in contact with Iranian authorities to facilitate the safe return of its nationals. However, families argue that the response has been slow and insufficient given the scale of the crisis.

With more than 1,200 students from Kashmir studying in Iran when the conflict began, families continue to call for a coordinated evacuation effort to ensure their safe and timely return.