As many as 24 Keralites stranded in Iran have approached the Kerala government seeking repatriation from the conflict-torn country. Students enrolled in medical courses, members of the business community and a group of sailors are among those who have approached the state government.
NoRKA-Roots opened a helpline for Keralites in Iran in the wake of the escalating anti-government protests in Iran. Speaking to The Hindu, Ajit Kolassery, Director General, said the state was cooperating with the center to evacuate the stranded people.
However, given the significant easing of violence in the country over the past few days, the state government hopes there will be no major evacuation if the situation improves further, Mr. Kolassery said. Only a few Keralites are settled in Iran, while others are mostly short-term visitors, including students, businessmen and sailors, he added.
Although the first repatriation flight from Tehran was scheduled to arrive in India on Friday, the plane did not arrive until the evening. Meanwhile, international agencies reported that Tehran was showing signs of returning to normal, although internet outages and reports of sporadic unrest persisted in some places.
Keralites in need of assistance can contact the NoRKA Global Contact Center help desk at 18004253939 (toll free) or +91-8802012345 (for international missed calls).
The Ministry of External Affairs has advised Indian citizens not to travel to Iran until further notice. In case of emergency, the Embassy of India in Tehran can be contacted on the following helpline numbers: +989128109115, +989128109109, +989128109102 or +989932179359 or by email at cons.tehranin@mea.g
Published – 16 Jan 2026 19:45 IST
