345 Indian Fishermen Return from Iran

A group of 345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran amid escalating tensions in West Asia returned home on Saturday, arriving in Chennai after transiting through Armenia, Indian officials announced. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed gratitude to his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, for facilitating the safe evacuation.

The fishermen's return marks another phase in India's ongoing operation to repatriate its nationals from the conflict zone, which intensified following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. Officials did not specify the exact circumstances that left the group stranded, but the Ministry of External Affairs has prioritized the welfare of Indians in the region since hostilities began over a month ago. In a statement on social media, Jaishankar said, "Thank FM Ararat Mirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India."

Broader evacuation efforts have brought back more than 1,200 Indian nationals from Iran via land borders into Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, 996 individuals reached Armenia, while 204 crossed into...