Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday urged students and residents from the union Territory currently in Iran to return home immediately, citing safety concerns and the evolving regional situation.
The appeal came a day after the Indian Embassy in Tehran, amid looming fear of war, urged Indian nationals in Iran to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights.
Chief Minister Omar said the advisory issued by government should not be ignored.
“I would like to tell them not to ignore the advisory of the Government of India, because it becomes a problem for us in the future,” Omar told reporters in Ganderbal.
He noted that the situation in Iran is stable at present and airports remain open, allowing commercial flights to operate.
“My request to all the children and all the people working there is that you should not ignore the advisory. Get your tickets and come out of Iran. If the situation remains good, you can return later,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the advisory was issued for a reason and warned of possible difficulties if conditions deteriorate.
“God forbid, if the situation becomes bad in the future, it will become a problem for us how to evacuate them. So I request them to take this advisory seriously and leave,” Omar added.
Iran hosts a significant number of Kashmiri students, particularly in medical and professional courses.
Earlier the day, Omar’s father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah warned that delays could leave families in distress if airspace closures or conflict disrupt travel.
“I want to tell the children of Jammu and Kashmir to leave immediately. Otherwise, tomorrow when the airspace is closed, their parents and families will raise concerns and panic,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
NC president advised them to return before conditions worsen, cautioning that evacuation may become difficult later.
“It is better to leave before that situation arises, because later there may be no one to evacuate them.
Since the advisory has already been issued, they should pack up and return home,” he added.
