India Strongly Advises Citizens Not to Travel to Iran

New Delhi: India on Wednesday strongly advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Iran; because the security situation in the country has worsened due to mass anti-government protests and crackdowns on demonstrators. The protests began in Tehran late last month after the Iranian currency, the rial, fell to record levels. The protests have since spread to all 31 provinces and have evolved from an agitation against economic woes to a demand for political change.

“In view of the ongoing developments in Iran, Indian citizens are once again strongly advised to avoid travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a new advisory. he said.

In its previous advisory issued on January 5, MEA had urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. He had also asked Indian citizens and PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) residing in Iran to take necessary precautions and avoid visiting the protest sites.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the overall situation in the last few days has deteriorated dramatically, with the death toll in protests across the country rising to over 2,500.

Protests in the country have also triggered wider tensions in West Asia after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against a brutal crackdown on demonstrators, citing US military strikes.

“Help is on the way,” Trump said in a message to protesters on Tuesday.