India issues Iran advisory for citizens amid protests and Trump's threats against Khamenei regime

In view of recent developments, Indian nationals are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice, says MEA.

Updated on: Jan 6, 2026, 05:51:48 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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India on Monday urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran amid growing protests in that country over inflation and the rising cost of living.

Iran's Islamic regime has been witnessing protests that started over price-rise and other related matters but have since widened to include human rights issues. (AP file photo)

An advisory from the external affairs ministry called on Indian nationals and people of Indian-origin already in Iran to exercise caution and to avoid areas where protests are being held.

“In view of recent developments, Indian nationals are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice,” the advisory said.

Indian citizens and PIOs in Iran “should exercise due caution, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, and closely monitor news as well as the website and social media handles” of the Indian embassy.

Indian nationals currently in Iran on resident visas were also advised to register with the Indian embassy.

There are about 10,000 Indian nationals in Iran, most of them students. A large number of Shia Muslim pilgrims also visit Iran.

The Indian travel advisory came against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's threat of intervention if Iranian authorities crack down on protesters. Reports have said about 15 people, including security personnel, have died since the protests - the biggest in three years - began about a week ago.

“We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the US,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the country “will not yield to the enemy”, and senior Iranian officials have spoken of possible retaliation against US forces in the region. However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has directed the interior ministry to take a “kind and responsible” approach towards the protesters, and said “society cannot be convinced or calmed by forceful approaches”.

Protests have been reported in 23 out of Iran's 31 provinces and at least 40 cities, according to an AFP tally. The protests began about a week ago among traders and shopkeepers, then spread to students and provincial cities.

Iran has faced inflation above 36% since March 2025, and the Iranian rial has lost half its value against the dollar, causing hardship for many people. The situation has been exacerbated by the resumption of Western sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme, and global financial bodies have predicted a recession in 2026.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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