Daijiworld Media Network - Jammu

Jammu, Jan 15: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday held discussions with external affairs minister S Jaishankar to review the safety and well-being of students from the Union Territory who are currently pursuing studies in Iran.

Sharing details of the conversation on X, the chief minister said he was briefed by the external affairs minister on the evolving ground situation and the steps being planned by the Ministry of External Affairs. Omar Abdullah expressed appreciation for the assurance that every possible measure would be taken to protect the lives and interests of students and other residents of Jammu and Kashmir presently in Iran.

The chief minister reiterated that the Centre has committed to ensuring the safety of all affected individuals from the Union Territory during the ongoing volatile situation in the region.

Thousands of Indian students, including a large number from Kashmir, remain stranded in Iran, triggering widespread concern and anxiety among parents back home. Many families are deeply worried as uncertainty continues to prevail.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has also appealed for urgent intervention. In a post on X, she urged external affairs minister S Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs to act swiftly to facilitate the safe return of stranded students, highlighting the distress faced by anxious parents.

Jammu and Kashmir accounts for one of the highest numbers of students enrolled in various academic programmes in Iran, particularly in medical courses such as MBBS, with most of them hailing from the Kashmir Valley.

Apart from students, several Shia Muslims from Jammu and Kashmir travel to Iran every year to visit religious shrines and historic sites. Reports suggest that dozens of Kashmiri Shia pilgrims are currently in Iran, with their families in the Valley anxiously awaiting their safe return amid the tense situation.