Over 300 Indian fishermen evacuated from Iran via Armenia

More than 300 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran have been safely evacuated to India via Armenia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar revealed on Saturday.

In a post on X, Jaishankar confirmed that 312 fishermen had returned home safely and thanked the Armenian government for facilitating their safe transit. He also acknowledged the support of his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan.

The latest evacuation follows the return of 345 Indian fishermen earlier this month, who were flown back to Chennai after being evacuated through Armenia. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has now facilitated the return of more than 1,200 citizens from Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the region, with 996 of them travelling via Armenia.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to address escalating tensions in the Gulf region are underway. Delegations from the United States and Iran have arrived in Islamabad for negotiations aimed at easing regional tensions.

US Vice President J. D. Vance, who is leading the American delegation, expressed optimism ahead of the talks. The high-level US team also includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

The discussions mark the first formal engagement between Washington and Tehran during the current phase of tensions, following a fragile two-week ceasefire. However, uncertainties remain, with regional developments — including recent strikes linked to Hezbollah and differing positions on Lebanon — potentially complicating the process.

Despite these challenges, diplomatic efforts continue, even as India presses ahead with the safe repatriation of its citizens from conflict-affected areas.

With IANS inputs