India has advised its citizens in Iran to depart by commercial flights and other available means as protests flare across Tehran and tensions mount between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme. The advisory follows a volatile weekend marked by university demonstrations, competing pro- and anti-government rallies, and escalating rhetoric from senior officials in both capitals.
“In continuation of the advisory issued by the Government of India on 5 January 2026, and in view of the evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals who are currently in Iran (students, pilgrims, business persons and tourists) are advised to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” the Embassy of India in Tehran said in a post.
The guidance comes as fears of a wider conflict grow amid a significant United States military build-up in the region and renewed nuclear negotiations scheduled for later this week in Geneva.
US pressure and Tehran’s defiance
Washington has intensified its pressure campaign on Tehran in recent weeks. In a Fox News interview, Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the president was perplexed by Iran’s stance.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated,’ because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t … I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated,’ but why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff said.
“Why, under this pressure, with the amount of sea power and naval power over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’? And yet it’s sort of hard to get them to that place,” he added.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded sharply on social media: “Curious to know why we do not capitulate? Because we are IRANIAN.”
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remained committed to regional stability while continuing “to closely monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”
Protests erupt across Tehran universities
The advisory coincides with renewed campus unrest. Verified footage showed scuffles between pro- and anti-government groups at Amirkabir University, while demonstrations were also reported at Sharif University of Technology and Science and Industry University.
The official Fars news agency described “counter-revolutionary slogans being chanted by some students at Amirkabir University, Sharif University of Technology, and Science and Industry University.”
Hossein Goldansaz, a professor at Tehran University, told the Mehr news agency that the demonstrations were shaped by mourning ceremonies for those killed in January’s unrest.
“One of the students’ main points is that we are mourning for the people who lost their lives in these events, those who were our friends,” he said.
“We will allow them to hold their demonstrations on the university and if someone asks us for permission, we will give them permission, provided they respect the red lines,” Goldansaz added.
“Students should be very careful not to lead to violence and I told the students that if this happens, I will not support them in any way.”
Some videos circulating online showed students condemning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “murderous leader” and calling for the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah. Pro-government rallies were also reported.
Nuclear talks resume amid military build-up
Despite the charged atmosphere, diplomatic channels remain open. Talks between Iranian officials and US negotiators are expected to resume on Thursday in Geneva, with Oman acting as mediator.
“We continue negotiations, we are working on the elements of a deal and the draft of a text,” Araghchi said, adding there was “a good chance to have a diplomatic solution”.
“I believe that when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva again, we can work on those elements and prepare a good text and come to a fast deal,” he told CBS.
Western governments remain concerned about Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, while Tehran insists it retains the right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could consider exporting part of its highly enriched uranium stockpile, diluting its purity and establishing a regional enrichment consortium in exchange for recognition of its right to “peaceful nuclear enrichment.”
“The negotiations continue and the possibility of reaching an interim agreement exists,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the United States has deployed two aircraft carriers and additional combat aircraft to the Middle East, reinforcing its military posture as diplomacy proceeds.
Growing fear among civilians in Iran
The convergence of student unrest, economic strain and geopolitical brinkmanship has heightened public anxiety.
“If the US attacks us, then we have every right to defend ourselves,” Araghchi said, while emphasizing that “there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution”.
On Tehran’s streets, apprehension is palpable. Residents have expressed concern over the prospect of renewed conflict, even as officials on both sides signal willingness to negotiate.
For Indian nationals in Iran — including students and pilgrims — the embassy’s advisory underscores the uncertainty of the moment. With tensions rising and protests spreading, New Delhi has opted for caution, urging its citizens to leave before events potentially escalate further.
