Medical students arrange travel route as tensions escalate in region
March 11, 2026: Indian medical students stranded in Iran amid rising regional tensions have been granted conditional permission to leave the country through the Armenia border, according to the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA). Officials clarified that the arrangement is not an official evacuation and students opting for the route will travel at their own risk. Many students studying in Urmia are planning to return to India via a multi-leg journey through Armenia and Dubai before reaching New Delhi.
Authorities have instructed students to secure confirmed flight tickets from Armenia to India and submit them to the Embassy of India in Iran for verification before traveling to the border. At the crossing point, students must pay a $10 visa fee to enter Armenia and arrange accommodation if they arrive before their scheduled flight. Officials said logistical support such as bus transport and temporary accommodation in Urmia could be arranged if 40–50 students decide to travel together.
Under the tentative plan, students would first travel to Qom for an overnight stay before proceeding to the Zulfa border crossing to enter Armenia. Reports indicate that more than 30 students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences have already booked tickets and are expected to reach New Delhi via Dubai around March 15. Meanwhile, parents in Kashmir have urged the Government of India to arrange a formal evacuation, noting that countries like Azerbaijan have already brought back their citizens.