'Situation Is Very Bad There': Indians Recount Terror During Iran Protests After Returning To Delhi

Tensions in Iran erupted over economic hardship and turned into anti-Khamenei protests, with protesters staging large-scale demonstrations. Over 3,000 people were killed in the protests and over 3,000 were arrested. 

The first two commercial flights carrying Indian nationals from protest-ravaged Iran touched down in Delhi late last night on Friday, as the death toll from violent anti-Khamenei demonstrations crossed 3,000. While these were regular scheduled flights and not part of any official evacuation operation, the Indian government remains on high alert with over 9,000 Indian nationals still present in the Islamic Republic.

Indian nationals who landed in Delhi recounted their terrifying experiences in Iran, where massive protests against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's regime plunged the country into chaos over the past two weeks.

One Indian described the situation in Iran as very bad and thanked the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their support and assistance in facilitating their safe return.

"The situation is very bad there. The Government of India is cooperating a lot, and the Embassy provided us with information on leaving Iran as early as possible. Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai (With Modi ji, everything is possible)," he said. 

Another Indian national narrated that they had been in Iran for a month and faced problems only during the last two weeks.

"We were there for a month. But we were only facing problems for the last one or two weeks. When we went outside, the protesters would come in front of the car. They would cause a little trouble," he said.

Another Indian national added that the protests in Iran were dangerous and thanked the government for making strong efforts to bring the students back safely.

"I am a resident of Jammu and Kashmir... The protests there were dangerous. The Indian government has made a very good effort and brought the students back," he said.

However, not all students witnessed the violence firsthand. An MBBS student from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences said, "I am pursuing an MBBS at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The situation there is normal. There are no internet services. We heard about protests in Iran but never saw anything like that."

Tensions in Iran erupted over economic hardship and turned into anti-Khamenei protests, with protesters staging large-scale demonstrations. Over 3,000 people were killed in the protests and over 3,000 were arrested. The ruling Khamenei government also went on to execute an Iranian protester Erfan Soltani but later pardoned him after Trump threatened the Iranian government with strike.The The situation now appears to have stabilized.

The Indian government had earlier issued advisories cautioning citizens against non-essential travel to Iran. New Delhi is closely observing and monitoring the evolving situation, given that over 9,000 Indian nationals remain in the country, many of them students pursuing medical and engineering degrees at Iranian universities.

While no formal evacuation has been announced, the government remains prepared for any eventuality as the crisis in Iran continues to unfold.