India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Iran has arranged a chartered flight to evacuate its stranded nationals from Kochi, including non-essential crew from the naval vessel IRIS Lavan. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated the aircraft departed late last night, safely carrying nearly 100 Iranian citizens back home after the vessel docked earlier due to escalating tensions in West Asia.
The coordinated repatriation effort highlights ongoing India-Iran cooperation to manage humanitarian needs amid regional instability impacting Indian Ocean maritime routes. The crew had remained in India as a precautionary measure, with both nations ensuring smooth logistics for their return.
This development underscores the broader challenges of naval deployments and personnel safety in the region, as diplomatic channels remain active for such arrangements.
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