Iran foreign minister dials EAM Jaishankar, urges India's help amid intensifying nationwide protests

New Delhi: Even as popular protests continue across multiple cities in Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister of the west Asian nation called Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar to discuss the existing situation. 

Through a statement on social media, Jaishankar acknowledged the verbal communication over the phone.

What did Jaishankar say?

 Jaishankar shared this information in a post on his social media handle. Meanwhile, following Iran's warning, US President Donald Trump advised the relocation of US military personnel from an airbase in Qatar as a precautionary measure.

Sharing details about the Iranian Foreign Minister's phone call, Jaishankar wrote on X: "Received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. We discussed the evolving situation in and around Iran."

What advisory has the Indian embassy given on Iran? 

Given the deadly clashes occurring in 280 locations across Iran, the Indian embassy has advised its citizens to keep their passports and identity documents ready. The Ministry of External Affairs has advised Indians to stay away from areas of protest and to monitor local media. The embassy has clarified that citizens should leave the country immediately using commercial flights. The seriousness of the situation can be gauged from the fact that the death toll has crossed 2,500.

The embassy's advisory stated, "All Indian citizens present in Iran are requested to keep their travel and immigration documents, including passports and identity cards, readily available. For any assistance in this regard, they can contact the Indian Embassy."

The embassy has advised all citizens to stay away from areas of protests or rallies. It also stated that they should remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Iran and monitor local media for any developments.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to launch an immediate evacuation operation for Kashmiri students stranded in Iran. The association said the security situation is rapidly deteriorating and students' lives are in danger.

What is Donal Trump’s message for Iran protestors?

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump addressed the protesters, telling them to seize control of their institutions and not back down. Following this, on Wednesday, the Trump administration advised the precautionary evacuation of some personnel from the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. This move comes after Iran issued open threats to attack US military bases in neighboring countries. Iran has warned that if the US attacks Iranian soil, its military bases will be targeted.

When did the Iran protests start?

Protests against inflation and the Khamenei regime have been ongoing in Iran for the past 20 days. The situation has worsened due to deadly clashes in 280 locations across Iran. Reports indicate that as many as 2,500 people have died in the protests so far.