Sleepless nights for families awaiting their children's return from Iran

New Delhi: Kunwar Shakeel broke down in tears as he explained how his daughter, who went to Iran to study medicine, is now stuck in the war-torn country and has no idea when she will be able to return.

"We spoke to her on Monday morning. There was a bomb blast near her college," the 49-year-old told PTI while sobbing on the phone. The daughter of Shakeel, an Old Delhi resident, studies in the Islamic Azad University in Tehran.

"She is in the sixth semester," Shakeel said, adding that his daughter was supposed to board a plane to India on Tuesday but is now waiting for evacuation.

He said the situation has gotten worse after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on Saturday. According to officials, thousands of Indians studying in Iran are currently waiting for evacuation as the situation has turned into a full-scale military conflict.

"My daughter informed us that heavy bombing took place around her college premises and it has increased in the last two days," Shakeel said.

For many parents, the developments are scary and they are stuck in limbo as phone and internet connectivity has almost died.

"My daughter has to try at least 40 times before a call gets connected," Zubiya Khan, a resident of Malviya Nagar whose daughter is studying in Tehran, told PTI. She said internet connectivity has completely been cut off in Iran and parents are relying on sporadic trunk calls.

"My daughter just completed third year of MBBS and was preparing for an exam that was supposed to be held on March 5. But the situation escalated and now, they have nowhere to go," she said.

Parents said their only hope is the Indian government now and they are praying that their children are rescued soon.

"In 2025, the government launched Operation Sindhu and brought all of our kids back safely. We are hoping that something similar will be done by our government soon," Zubiya Khan told PTI.

Parents also informed that Indian students are surviving on limited food ration.

"Food is limited in their accommodation. They are not sure how long this situation will last and when their supplies will be replenished. We spoke to her this morning and my daughter was crying profusely. Everyone in her hostel is really scared," Zubiya Khan said.

Momin Khan, national representative of the All India Medical Association (AIMA) and the president of its Jammu and Kashmir chapter, said at 7 am local time on Tuesday, students from various colleges have been instructed by the Indian embassy to move to safer locations.

"The Embassy is taking them to Qom (a city in Iran). A 5-kg bag is said to be kept ready," Momin Khan told PTI.

Tensions in West Asia have turned into a full-scale military confrontation, following a coordinated offensive launched by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28.

The US and Israel carried out large-scale strikes under the "Epic Fury" and "Lion's Roar" operations, targeting thousands of sites across Iran, including in Tehran, Isfahan and Natanz. Iranian state media, along with US President Donald Trump, has reported that Khamenei was killed in the attacks, along with around 48 senior Iranian leaders.

In response, Tehran has launched "Truthful Promise 4", firing waves of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel and US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

The casualty figures remain high and contested. The Iranian Red Crescent, an NGO, has reported more than 550 deaths in Iran. The US has said three of its service members were killed and five seriously injured in a base attack in Kuwait. Israeli authorities have reported at least 11 fatalities, including nine killed in a missile strike on Beit Shemesh.