Iran has been rocked by widespread protests since late December 2025, triggered by a catastrophic economic collapse. The Iranian rial plunged to a record low of over 1.4 million to the US dollar, with year-on-year inflation hitting 42.2% in December. What began as merchant strikes in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar rapidly escalated into nationwide demonstrations, spreading to cities including Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Shiraz, and provincial areas. Security forces have responded with tear gas, arrests, and live ammunition, resulting in several deaths and dozens injured. Universities have seen student participation, with raids on dormitories and arrests reported. The government has shut down schools, offices, and businesses across most provinces, ostensibly for energy conservation and weather, but widely seen as an attempt to quell unrest.
Central to India’s worries are the thousands of its medical students in Iran, with a significant majority—approximately 2,000—from Jammu and Kashmir. These students, often from modest Valley families, opted for Iran’s affordable, recognised MBBS programs, drawn by cultural affinities, linguistic similarities in Persian, and historical Shia ties that facilitate integration. Overall, nearly 3,000 Indian medical students are enrolled across Iranian universities.
These Kashmiri medicos now face severe challenges: classes suspended amid shutdowns, restricted movement, internet blackouts, and exposure to protest zones. Families in Jammu and Kashmir are gripped by anxiety, struggling with intermittent contact. On January 2, 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urgent intervention, emphasising the vulnerability of these 2,000 students. Similarly, on January 3, the All India Medical Students’ Association (AIMSA), through its J&K unit, wrote to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, highlighting safety risks for the 3,000 Indian students and calling for proactive measures.
India must act promptly, leveraging its proven expertise in overseas evacuations—such as Operation Sindhu during the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, and recent efforts in Bangladesh, Ukraine, and Sudan. Immediate steps should include activating 24/7 helplines, enhancing embassy outreach for advisories and essentials, and preparing contingency evacuation plans via diplomatic channels with Iranian authorities.
This crisis strikes at the heart of Jammu and Kashmir’s aspirations for quality education amid regional hurdles. Neglecting these students risks deepening alienation in a sensitive area. New Delhi’s swift, decisive response—monitoring the fluid situation, reassuring families, and readying safe repatriation if needed—will reaffirm its commitment to every citizen abroad. The futures of these young Kashmiri doctors hang in the balance; evacuation preparedness is not just prudent, but imperative.
