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India plans Iran rescue operations; Tehran assures no executions of protesters
The Indian embassy in Tehran is currently focused on ascertaining the number of Indian nationals wishing to return
Indian authorities are making preparations for the possible evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran because of the evolving situation in the country amid apprehensions of US military intervention, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
The Indian embassy in Tehran is currently focused on ascertaining the number of Indian nationals wishing to return but the internet shutdown imposed by Iranian authorities is proving a major hurdle in contacting citizens, the people said on condition of anonymity.
There are some 10,000 Indians in Iran, including a large number of students. The students will be the focus of any evacuation effort, though it was not immediately clear when the first repatriation flight will be operated, the people said.
The plans emerged hours after US President Donald Trump said he had been told the killings of protesters in Iran had been halted, but added that he would “watch it and see” about threatened military action. Reuters said four Arab states conducted intense diplomacy with the United States and Iran this week to prevent a threatened U.S. attack on Iran.
However, on Thursday evening, the US imposed sanctions on five Iranian officials it accused of being behind the crackdown on protests and said it was tracking Iranian leaders’ funds being wired to international banks.
Despite the apparent climbdown, Iran closed its airspace temporarily to most flights late on Wednesday, forcing airlines to cancel, reroute or delay some flights and raising concerns about military action.
“The external affairs ministry is making preparations to facilitate the return of Indian nationals who wish to travel back home,” one of the people said.
“This is dependent on a number of factors, including securing clearance for airspace, arranging aircraft and ascertaining the numbers of students, which is currently a problem because of the internet shutdown.”
The people said the current exercise of reaching out to Indian students in different parts of Iran is largely being done physically as the internet remains suspended and telephone connectivity isn’t available everywhere. Officials are also contacting colleges and universities with sizeable numbers of Indian students to ascertain how many want to return.
A semblance of normalcy has returned to Tehran and other cities that witnessed large protests since late December.
The external affairs ministry has well-established standard operating procedures for such evacuations, including the use of military aircraft, the people said.
Reports have suggested that more than 3,000 people were killed after Iran cracked down on protests over economic hardships and inflation, among the worst in the country’s recent history. Trump has repeatedly threatened military intervention if Iranian security forces kill protesters. He has also warned of “very strong action” if detained protesters are executed by Iranian authorities.
India has also faced increased pressure over its relations with Iran following Trump’s move to hit countries trading with Iran with a 25% tariff.
Trump, speaking at the White House on Wednesday, said he has been told that killings in the crackdown were subsiding. Asked who told him that the killings had stopped, Trump described them as “very important sources on the other side.”
The president did not rule out potential U.S. military action, saying “we are going to watch what the process is” before noting that his administration had received a “very good statement” from Iran.
Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday “there is no plan” by Iran to hang people, when asked about the protests. “There is no plan for hanging at all,” he told Fox News in an interview on the “Special Report with Bret Baier” show. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said.
However, in the evening, the US Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on the Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security as well as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and law enforcement forces commanders, accusing them of being architects of the crackdown.
The US also imposed sanctions on Fardis prison, where the State Department said women had “endured cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a video on Thursday said Washington’s message to Iran’s leaders was clear: “The US Treasury knows that like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you.”
“But there’s still time, if you choose to join us. As President Trump has said, stop the violence and stand with the people of Iran.”
On Wednesday, the Indian embassy in Tehran issued an advisory urging Indian students, businesspeople, pilgrims and tourists to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights, amid mounting regional tensions over a crackdown on nationwide protests that has killed hundreds and fears of possible US intervention.
Another advisory from the external affairs ministry in New Delhi strongly advised Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice.
Araghchi dialled external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday night to discuss the regional situation. The phone call was also an opportunity for Araghchi to explain his decision to call off a planned visit to New Delhi from Thursday.
