For an estimated 60,000 worldwide college students in Iran, a lot of them pursuing drugs, finding out within the nation has been removed from simple.
The West Asian nation has witnessed intense social unrest, financial decline, and direct army battle over the previous three years, which has additionally affected 1000’s of worldwide college students.
Certainly one of them is Mehreen Sajad, a scholar at Shahid Beheshti College in Tehran, who selected Iran for its budget-friendly but high quality medical training – and is nicely conscious of how shortly issues can spiral for outsiders, having skilled it through the June 2025 Israel-Iran battle.
“Final time, through the June conflict, it lasted about 12 days and wasn’t as critical, largely drone assaults. The evacuation was clean, and the Indian Embassy dealt with every thing because the airspace was nonetheless open. We have been in a position to come again in two months by August,” Sajad advised The PIE Information.
However now, on this newest part of the battle, uncertainty is much extra extreme. “The entire state of affairs constructed slowly over time, it started with protests in January 2026, pushed by inflation and different points,” acknowledged Sajad.
With nationwide protests triggering web blackouts in Iran in January – sharply decreasing connectivity by February and inflicting worldwide name charges to surge, generally costing round INR 200 (practically £2) for simply 5 to 10 minute calls – Sajad recalled how she and others struggled to remain in contact with their households, at the same time as they tried to keep up a semblance of regular life.
“Even through the January protests, I went to the hospital on daily basis. Juniors have been allowed to depart and had their exams postponed, however we seniors have been caught due to our rotations – we couldn’t skip, or we’d should repeat months,” acknowledged Sajad.
“By early February, issues felt a bit regular once more, however there was already a way that one thing would possibly escalate. Our dad and mom stored asking us to return again, however we couldn’t due to our hospital tasks.”
Although studies of a close to “historic settlement” between Iran and the US to keep away from army battle have been rife by late February, any sense of normalcy shortly vanished as US missiles, drones and Israeli jets struck Iran on the morning of February 28, together with in Tehran, dwelling to many worldwide college students.
“I bear in mind, I used to be within the hostel and didn’t go to the hospital that day as a result of I used to be sick, however all my mates have been at their wards,” acknowledged Sajad.
“The chaos was unimaginable, individuals struggled to get again to their residences, and panic unfold throughout the nation as a result of there was no prior warning in regards to the assault. That’s after we realised we’d must evacuate.”
For the reason that conflict, notable studies from Iran embody the reported dying of its supreme chief Ali Khamenei in an airstrike, a missile hitting a women’ college in Minab killing many youngsters, 1000’s of civilian casualties, and hovering meals and gasoline costs.
In response to Sajad, college students skilled these incidents in probably the most “traumatic” approach, as she recounted the security issues witnessed in Tehran.
“On the third day, Monday, March 2, an airstrike occurred in our neighbourhood. I can’t clarify how traumatising it was – it was simply two to a few buildings away. Our entire constructing shook, glasses broke, rubble fell from the ceilings, and in a fraction of a second every thing outdoors turned white from mud, smoke, and the odor of burning,” acknowledged the scholar.
Within the first week of March, lots of of Indian college students have been evacuated to Qom, 140 km south of Tehran, with the assistance of the All India Medical College students Affiliation (AIMSA). However that didn’t defend them from the continued violence within the area.
“Throughout our time within the lodge after relocation, on the second day, 4 explosions occurred round us. This was far worse than earlier drone assaults – we might hear jets approaching, then explosions, smoke, and flames. Many people noticed missiles dropping. It was a deeply harrowing expertise for everybody,” acknowledged Sajad.
“At that second, no one was serious about their diploma. Some mates have been of their remaining months, however security was everybody’s solely concern. I even heard some college students name their dad and mom and express regret, fearing they may not make it dwelling.”
Whereas Sajad and different college students have been in a position to fill up on meals and call their households by means of Iranian apps, they ultimately obtained assist from the Indian embassy, although not with out dealing with challenges alongside the way in which.
“Final yr, through the June conflict, the Indian embassy evacuated us straight from Iran as a result of the airspace was open. This time, with the airspace utterly shut, we needed to go away by way of land borders,” acknowledged Sajad.
“After crossing the Azerbaijan border, we needed to handle the remainder ourselves – arranging lodging and flights. Whereas the embassy assisted us all through Iran, offering buses and meals, the ultimate leg of our journey relied on us. Nonetheless, given the severity of the state of affairs and the size of evacuations, the embassy did as a lot as they may.”
Once we reached Azerbaijan, a former senior and her husband welcomed us into their dwelling at midnight, supplied meals, beds, and a correct place to relaxation. Their kindness and hospitality made that remaining day a lot smoother — I don’t know the way I’ll ever repay them
Mehreen Sajad, worldwide scholar
Whereas greater than 150 Indian college students have been evacuated by way of the Iran-Azerbaijan border, with some already returning dwelling and extra anticipated to depart within the coming days, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) says round 9,000 Indian college students nonetheless stay in Iran, with efforts underway to carry all of them again to India.
Sajad returned to her dwelling in Kashmir on March 15 however stays involved about an unsure tutorial future, with the recollections of her time in Iran through the battle persevering with to bother her.
“At the moment, with God’s grace, I’m secure and again in India. Our rotations rely completely on the hospitals, so the second they resume, we’ll should return, whereas juniors are nonetheless ready for courses to restart,” acknowledged Sajad.
“However I might say I’ve main PTSD proper now. Final time it was simply drone assaults and a clean evacuation, however this time, after 13-14 days of strikes, chaos, and difficulties reserving flights from Azerbaijan, it’s been overwhelming – I nonetheless dream about being caught on the border.”
As Sajad mirrored on her time amid the battle, she additionally highlighted the generosity and resilience of the individuals she met alongside the way in which – a reminder that even in occasions of disaster, human kindness and solidarity can shine by means of.
“It brings a smile once I take into consideration the individuals we met – from the beginning of the protests, everybody in Iran was so involved for our security. They urged us to fill up on meals, keep indoors, and go away the nation if potential – their care was overwhelming,” acknowledged the scholar.
“Once we reached Azerbaijan, a former senior and her husband welcomed us into their dwelling at midnight, supplied meals, beds, and a correct place to relaxation. Their kindness and hospitality made that remaining day a lot smoother – I don’t know the way I’ll ever repay them.”
