NEW DELHI, Jan. 17 (KNS) ; The first flight carrying Indian nationals from Iran landed safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday night.
The Mahan Air flight, arriving from Tehran, carried a number of Indian students and pilgrims. Its arrival marks the first direct air link between Iran and India since recent hostilities led to the closure of regional airspace.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) Nasir Khuehmi, Convener of the Jammu Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), said "This was a regular commercial flight, not a dedicated evacuation flight," he said. "Families gathered at the terminal to welcome their relatives, including many pilgrims who had been unable to depart due to the unrest.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel"
He said most students from Kashmir were part of this flight.
The repatriation follows a recent advisory from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which urged Indian citizens in Iran to consider returning in light of the volatile security situation. The government has emphasized its commitment to the welfare of Indians abroad.
"The Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the situation and remains focused on ensuring the safety and security of Indian nationals," the MEA stated in a fresh advisory issued last Friday. (KNS)