India closes help desk in Iran’s Mashhad as ceasefire comes into effect

In this image released by @MEAIndia via X on June 23, 2025, people who were evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu arrive at Delhi airport.
| Photo Credit: @MEAIndia via PTI

Responding to the news of Israel-Iran ceasefire, the Indian Embassy in Iran closed the help desk in Mashhad, which oversaw the process of hundreds of Indian citizens being repatriated since the West Asian conflict erupted on June 13. The Embassy announced on Tuesday that the evacuation process initiated under Operation Sindhu was being wrapped up as the ceasefire had come into effect.

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“Since there has been an announcement of ceasefire, the Embassy is gradually winding up the evacuation exercise initiated during the military conflict in Iran,” said the Embassy in Tehran, announcing that the contact desk set up to help evacuating Indians at Mashhad was being closed.

“If any Indian citizens need any advice or assistance, or have any other special needs, they may contact the Embassy through the Telegram channel or on the helplines provided earlier. These communication channels will be open for the next few days,” the Indian embassy said. The process of closing down the evacuation process from Iran will remain in place for two more days to evaluate the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

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The embassy also advised Indians planning to proceed to Mashhad for evacuation to remain where they are in view of the ceasefire that was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday (June 24, 2025) said 2,295 Indian nationals had been evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu since the beginning of the airlift operation. About 292 Indian nationals arrived here from Mashhad early on Tuesday in a special flight, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The flight from Mashhad was being considered the last evacuation flight for the time being. This flight also flew back two Nepali nationals — Ganesh P. Pokhrel and Suman Gaire, said the Embassy of Nepal.

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Coinciding with the announcement of the ceasefire, a group of 161 Indians from Israel arrived here on Tuesday morning. The evacuees from Israel were flown from Jordanian capital Amman as Israeli airports were not available because of the active conflict situation. This flight was followed by evacuation of 268 Indians from Israel in a C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force that flew them from Egypt’s Sharm-el-Sheikh to Delhi at 11 a.m. on June 24. “About 594 Indians have returned so far from Israel as part of Operation Sindhu,” said Mr. Jaiswal on Tuesday (June 24, 2025).

Published – June 24, 2025 10:17 pm IST

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