‘Action was so swift that we cannot express our gratitude in words’: Indian evacuee from Iran

NEW DELHI: A fresh batch of Indian nationals evacuated from Iran landed safely in Delhi on Saturday under Operation Sindhu, as part of the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to bring back its citizens from conflict-hit regions.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran coordinated the safe movement of students, while the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ensured their safe return.

An Indian national who was evacuated from Iran, Zaffar Abbas Naqvi, recounted how he and his family stayed indoors initially after hearing about the attack on Iran. They later moved to Mashhad, which also came under attack, prompting them to contact the Indian government.

#WATCH | #OperationSindhu | Delhi: Zaffar Abbas Naqvi, an Indian National evacuated from Iran, says, “… Everything was going fine, but one day we heard that Iran had been attacked. We stayed indoors for some time. We then moved to Mashhad. Soon Mashhad came under attack. We… https://t.co/WlNYvdenII pic.twitter.com/7JMnNJnXiM

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2025

Naqvi praised the swift action taken by the government and thanked Prime Minister Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath for their support. “Everything was going fine, but one day we heard that Iran had been attacked. We stayed indoors for some time. We then moved to Mashhad. Soon Mashhad came under attack. We then contacted the Indian government. The action was so swift that we cannot express our gratitude in words. I want to thank Modi ji and Yogi ji who made all the arrangements for us…,” said Naqvi.

Kulsum, an Indian national evacuated from Iran, expressed relief at being back home safely, saying the situation in Iran was worrisome and the government’s help was invaluable Kulsum said, “The situation in Iran is not good. We were very worried. The government helped us a lot and brought us back home safely.”

Another Indian national who was evacuated from Mashhad, Mohammad Ali Qazim expressed gratitude towards the Indian government for their help in crossing the border and returning home safely. He mentioned that the situation in Iran, especially in Tehran, was not good.

“I am coming from Mashhad. It feels very good to return home… We had gone on a religious journey. The situation there is not good, especially in Tehran… Indian government helped us a lot in crossing the border and bringing us to India. The UP government is also helping us a lot by taking us back home…” he said.

The operation continues to bring relief to families across India, with coordinated efforts from both the Central and State governments ensuring the safe return of citizens amid the ongoing tensions in the region.

Earlier, chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ echoed through Delhi Airport late Friday night as a special flight carrying 290 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu touched down. Emotional returnees, including students and religious pilgrims, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Indian government for ensuring their safe return amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.

The special flight landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 11:30 PM IST on Friday night and was received by Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Kumar Chatterjee.

Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in a post on X, “Operation Sindhu flight brings citizens home. Evacuated 290 Indian nationals from Iran, including students and religious pilgrims, by a charter flight. The flight arrived in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 20 June and was received by Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Chatterjee.”

He added, “The Government of India is grateful to the Government of Iran for the facilitation of the evacuation process.” (ANI)