Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 21: India on Saturday extended its evacuation mission in Iran to include stranded citizens from Nepal and Sri Lanka, amid rising hostilities between Iran and Israel.

Responding to formal requests from both neighbouring countries, the Indian Embassy in Tehran announced: “In response to the requests from the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka.”

The decision comes in the wake of Israel’s intensified military campaign, Operation Rising Lion, aimed at thwarting Iran’s nuclear pursuits. Iran has retaliated strongly, leading to a volatile situation in the region.

The Indian Embassy has shared emergency contact numbers for Nepalese and Sri Lankan nationals seeking assistance: +989010144557, +989128109115, and +989128109109. Citizens were also urged to reach out via Telegram.

India’s evacuation, under Operation Sindhu, is focused on bringing home nationals stuck in high-risk zones. On Saturday morning, a special flight landed in New Delhi from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, with Indian evacuees. Late Friday, 290 Indian students — mostly from Jammu and Kashmir — returned safely from Mashhad, Iran, after Tehran temporarily reopened its airspace.

India’s inclusive evacuation effort has drawn praise for its humanitarian outreach in the region's time of crisis.