India has advised its citizens in Iran to leave via commercial flights and other available means as protests flare up in Tehran and tensions rise between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program. The briefing follows a volatile weekend marked by university demonstrations, competing pro- and anti-government rallies and escalating rhetoric from senior officials in both capitals.
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“Following the advisory issued by the Government of India on January 5, 2026 and in view of the evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals currently in Iran (students, pilgrims, businessmen and tourists) are advised to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” the Indian Embassy in Tehran said in a statement.
The directive comes as fears of a wider conflict grow amid a significant United States military build-up in the region and renewed nuclear talks scheduled for later this week in Geneva.
US pressure and Tehran’s defiance
Washington has stepped up its pressure campaign on Tehran in recent weeks. In an interview with Fox News, Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the president was confused by Iran’s stance.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated’ because he understands that he has a lot of alternatives, but he’s interested in why not … I don’t want to use the word ‘surrendered,’ but why didn’t they surrender,” Witkoff said.
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“Why under that pressure, with the amount of naval power and naval power there, why didn’t they come to us and say, ‘We’re declaring that we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’? And yet it’s quite difficult to get them to that place,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded sharply on social media: “Do you wonder why we don’t capitulate? Because we are IRANIANS.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remains committed to regional stability, while continuing to “carefully monitor US actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”
Protests erupt at universities in Tehran
The advisory coincides with renewed unrest on campus. Verified footage showed clashes between pro- and anti-government groups at Amirkabir University, while demonstrations were also reported at Sharif University of Technology and Science and Industry University.
The official Fars news agency described “counter-revolutionary slogans chanted by some students at Amirkabir University, Sharif University of Technology and Science and Industry University”.
Hossein Goldansaz, a professor at Tehran University, told the Mehr news agency that the demonstrations were shaped by mourning ceremonies for those killed in the January riots.
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“One of the main points of the students is that we mourn the people who lost their lives in these events, those who were our friends,” he said.
“We will allow them to hold their demonstrations at the university and if someone asks us for permission, we will give them permission provided they respect the red lines,” Goldansaz added.
“Students should be very careful not to lead to violence, and I told the students that if that happens, I will not support them in any way.”
Some videos circulating online showed students denouncing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “murderous leader” and calling for the return of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah. Pro-government rallies were also reported.
Nuclear talks renew amid military build-up
Despite the charged atmosphere, diplomatic channels remain open. Talks between Iranian officials and US negotiators are expected to resume in Geneva on Thursday, with Oman acting as a mediator.
“We are continuing negotiations, working on the elements of the agreement and the draft text,” Araghchi said, adding that there was “a good chance of a diplomatic solution”.
“I believe that when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva again, we can work on these elements and prepare a good text and come to a quick agreement,” he told CBS.
Western governments remain concerned about Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, while Tehran insists it retains the right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could consider exporting some of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, diluting its purity and forming a regional enrichment consortium in exchange for recognizing its right to “peaceful nuclear enrichment”.
“Negotiations are continuing and there is a possibility of reaching an interim agreement,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the United States has deployed two aircraft carriers and other warplanes to the Middle East, bolstering its military posture in the course of diplomacy.
Growing fear among civilians in Iran
The convergence of student unrest, economic tensions, and geopolitical borders has heightened public concern.
“If the US attacks us, then we have every right to defend ourselves,” Araghchi said, stressing that “there is a good chance of a diplomatic solution.”
There is palpable fear in the streets of Tehran. Residents have expressed concern at the prospect of renewed conflict, even as officials on both sides signal a willingness to act.
For Indian nationals in Iran – including students and pilgrims – the embassy’s advice underscores the current uncertainty. With tensions rising and protests spreading, New Delhi decided to err on the side of caution and urged its citizens to leave before events potentially escalated further.
