New Delhi [India], April 2 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that more than 1,200 Indian nationals have been safely evacuated from Iran amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the evacuation is being carried out through Armenia and Azerbaijan with the Centre closely coordinating efforts on the ground.
According to Jaiswal, "Some 1200 Indian nationals have been evacuated out of which 845 are students."
He added, "996 moved to Armenia and 204 to Azerbaijan from where they are being helped by the MEA."
The spokesperson said the Ministry has been working closely with Indian missions and local authorities in both Armenia and Azerbaijan to ensure the safe return of citizens. He noted that arrangements are in place to assist evacuees in transit before they are brought back to India.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held discussions with global leaders to address key international developments, including the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Speaking about these engagements, Jaiswal said, "The Prime Minister is currently engaging in discussions with leaders from various nations across the globe. In this context, on March 28th, the Prime Minister held talks with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During this conversation, views were exchanged regarding the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The Prime Minister condemned the attacks targeting energy infrastructure in that region. Both leaders also discussed free navigation and keeping shipping lanes open and secure.
Meanwhile, over 6 lakh passengers have returned to India from the West Asia region amid the developing security situation as the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran enters its second month.
The MEA also provided an update on the Indian national injured in the UAE yesterday and underlined that the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region remain the government's utmost priority.
Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) at the Ministry of External Affairs, shared the update during the inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital.
Mahajan said, "Since February 28th, around 6,24,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations between the UAE and India. Around 90 flights are expected to operate from the UAE to various destinations in India today."
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