‘Once you leave Iran, we cannot help’: Indians asked not to approach land border without embassy coordination

New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an advisory requesting Indian nationals in Iran not to travel out of the country at any land border port without prior coordination with the embassy.In a statement, the embassy said any movement to land border crossings must be carried out only after obtaining clear guidance from the Indian mission.

“Indian nationals are hereby advised not to travel abroad to any of Iran’s land borders without prior coordination with the embassy,” the advisory said.The embassy warned that it may not be able to assist individuals once they leave Iranian territory but fail to enter a third country.“Please note that once an individual leaves Iranian territory and is unable to enter the third country in question, the embassy will not be able to provide assistance,” the statement added.The mission said help is still available for Indian nationals in Iran and urged them to stay in touch through emergency helplines.The embassy shares helpline numbers: +98-9128109115, +98-9128109102, +98-9128109109 and +98-9932179359, as well as the email address cons.tehran@mea.gov.in for consular support.The advisory comes as the embassy continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with Indian nationals in Iran on travel and security issues.Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India believed that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to ease tensions in the Middle East. Outlining India’s position in the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure an effective response.He added: “The Prime Minister continues to closely monitor the situation and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure an effective response. Taking into account the seriousness of the situation, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) convened a meeting on March 1 under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister and was briefed on the Iranian air strikes and subsequent attacks in multiple Gulf countries. The CCS expressed concerns about the safety of the Indian community in the region.”The EAM said the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East were of “particular concern” to India, as more than 10 million Indians live and work in the Gulf countries and regions. He also added that the region is key to India’s energy security and hosts many important oil and gas suppliers.