Another special flight under Operation Sindhu safely brought back 290 Indians from conflict-hit Iran to New Delhi on Saturday night, pushing the total number of evacuees to 1,117.
The flight, which departed from Mashhad, marks the fifth successful evacuation mission carried out by the Indian government amid escalating regional tensions. It landed in Delhi at 11:30 PM on June 21.
“Operation Sindhu gains momentum. 290 Indian nationals have returned home safely from Iran on a special flight from Mashhad that landed in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 21 June 2025. With this, 1,117 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X.
Among the evacuees were numerous students and professionals who expressed their relief and gratitude to the Indian government. Many described the difficult conditions they faced in Tehran and other affected areas.
“I am from Siwan, Bihar. I study medicine in Tehran. The situation there is critical, and I’m thankful to the government for evacuating us,” said one student.
Naveed, a second-year MBBS student from Kashmir, echoed this sentiment: “I feel very good now. We were scared due to missile firings. We were stuck there for a week. I am grateful to India.”
Momin Ushtaq, also from Kashmir, added, “The situation in Iran isn’t good. We thank the Indian government, especially the Embassy. They deserve special thanks.”
Expressions of appreciation also extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Parveen, one of the evacuees, said, “I am thankful to PM Modi from the bottom of my heart. Our government helped us return safely.”
Earlier the same day, another evacuation flight carrying 310 Indian nationals landed in New Delhi around 4:30 PM, continuing the coordinated effort to bring back stranded citizens.
The evacuations come amid rising tensions in the region, with reports of Israeli airstrikes targeting a key nuclear facility in Iran’s Isfahan province. According to Al Jazeera, the strikes hit a centrifuge manufacturing site. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that no nuclear material was present at the targeted facility, and there was no radiological impact.
Operation Sindhu remains ongoing as Indian authorities continue to monitor the situation and prioritize the safe return of all nationals from the region.
