As situation in Iran remains precarious, India asks citizens to 'stay put'

India has asked its citizens to stay put in Iran wherever they are as the situation remains precarious in the west Asian country. Iran along with Spain and Italy remains the epicentre of the corona crisis, which began in China.

Sources told WION that while the Indian mission is in touch with Indians in across Iran since sampling facility is not present in Tehran, swab samples cant be collected to check if they are COVID-19 positive. The swab samples are tested for coronavirus by ICMR in India, and only those Indian nationals who test negative board specially arranged flights to India. 

A number of Indians are stranded in Kish island which is affected by the virus but the situation in Tehran is far worse. While the Indian government believes that keeping them at a specific location is not a solution, circumstances are completely adverse on the ground. 

219 Indian students from Iran, primarily from Tehran and Shiraz, have already returned to India. India plans to evacuate another batch of more than 200 Indians from Iran on March 28. 

New Delhi has evacuated more than 1700 of its citizens from China, Japan, Iran and Italy since the pandemic began. This includes 48 foreign citizens.