Iran FM, Jaishankar discusses situation, as India advises its citizens to leave Iran

By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Indian Government on Wednesday issued an advisory to its nationals in Iran, asked them to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights as the tensions flaring up.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the “evolving situation” in and around Iran as India asked its nationals in Iran to leave the country amid rising tensions over anti-government protests.

EAM Jaishankar said in a social media post on X “Received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. We discussed the evolving situation in and around Iran”.

The advisory reiterated that all Indian citizens and PIOs should “exercise due caution, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Iran and monitor local media for any developments.”

The advisory came after US President Donald Trump’s threat to militarily intervene in Iran amid the regime’s violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Over 2,400 protesters have been killed in Iran since December 28 when the protests began over falling currency and rising inflation.

The protests turned into a massive uprising against the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei-led regime and spread to all 31 provinces of the country.

Iran has accused the US and Israel of fueling the protests in a bid to enforce a regime change.

Trump has said that the US will attack Iran if protesters are killed.

Iran warned countries hosting US bases that it will target the US military infrastructure in their territories if it is attacked by Washington.

US has begun to withdraw an unspecified number of personnel from its Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a “precautionary measure” after the Iranian warning.