‘Situation Is Very Bad There’: Indians Recount Terror During Iran Protests After Returning To Delhi | World News
The first two commercial flights carrying Indian citizens from protest-ravaged Iran landed in Delhi late on Friday, as the death toll in violent anti-Khamenei demonstrations surpassed 3,000. Although these are regular scheduled flights and are not part of any official evacuation operation, the Indian government remains on high alert as there are still more than 9,000 Indian citizens in the Islamic Republic.
Indian citizens who landed in Delhi described their horrific experiences in Iran, where mass protests against the regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have plunged the country into chaos for the last two weeks.
An 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.
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“The situation there is very bad. The Government of India is cooperating a lot and the Embassy has informed us about leaving Iran as early as possible. Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai (Anything is possible with Modi ji),” he said.
#WRISTWATCH | Delhi | “Conditions are bad there. The Government of India is cooperating heavily and the Embassy has informed us to leave Iran as early as possible…’Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai’…” says an Indian national returning from Iran. pic.twitter.com/q1rEOYFWa4— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026
Another Indian citizen said that they had been in Iran for a month but had encountered problems in the last two weeks.
“We were there for a month. But we were encountering problems for the last 1-2 weeks. When we went out, protesters were coming in front of the car. They were causing some trouble,” he said.
#WRISTWATCH | Delhi | An Indian citizen who returned from Iran said, “We were there for a month. However, we were encountering problems for the last 1-2 weeks. When we went out, protesters were coming in front of the car. They were causing some trouble. Internet… pic.twitter.com/b8MVri37Rq— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026
Another Indian citizen stated that the protests in Iran were dangerous and thanked the government for its intense efforts to bring the students back safely.
“I am a resident of Jammu and Kashmir… The protests there were dangerous. The Indian government made a very good effort and brought the students back,” he said.
#WRISTWATCH | Delhi | An Indian citizen who returned from Iran says, “I reside in Jammu and Kashmir… The protests there were dangerous. The Indian government made a great effort to bring the students back…” pic.twitter.com/SEB1uUoHKs— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026
But not all students witnessed the violence firsthand. An MBBS student from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences said, “I am pursuing MBBS at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. The situation there is normal. There are no internet services. We have heard of protests in Iran but have not seen anything like this.”
#WRISTWATCH | Delhi | An Indian citizen who returned from Iran says, “I am studying MBBS at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. The situation is normal there. There is no internet service. We heard about the protests in Iran, but we have not seen anything like this…” pic.twitter.com/lIbcEBTidp— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2026
Tensions erupted in Iran over economic hardship and escalated into anti-Khamenei protests, with protesters holding large-scale demonstrations. More than 3,000 people were killed and more than 3,000 arrested during the protests. The ruling Khamenei government also went on to execute Iranian protester Erfan Soltani, but later pardoned him after Trump threatened the Iranian government with a strike. The situation now appears to have stabilized.
The Indian government had previously issued advisories warning citizens against non-essential travel to Iran. New Delhi is closely observing and monitoring the evolving situation, given that more than 9,000 Indian citizens remain in the country, many of them students pursuing medical and engineering degrees in Iranian universities.
Although no official evacuation has been announced, the government continues to be prepared for any eventuality as the crisis in Iran continues.
