Srinagar: With the first few batches of Indian students returning home from war-torn Iran due to safety concerns, the repatriation of students via Azerbaijan is in limbo after Baku closed the border crossing.

This has left over 200 students from Iran University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences stranded at the Astara land border checkpoint at the Iran border.

Since last week, the students were transported by bus to the Azerbaijan and Armenia borders to exit Iran due to safety concerns, as Israel and the US have pounded the country with aerial strikes since February 28.

“But now, students are not allowed to cross the border,” said Dr Momin Khan, president All India Medical Students Association (AIMA), which alongside Jammu and Students Association (JKSA) is coordinating and overseeing the repatriation of students with Indian authorities.

“The Indian embassy instructed students to book tickets and visas from Azerbaijan to India. However, Azerbaijan border authorities are seeking some exit code from students at the checkpoint. We have taken up the issue with external affairs but there appears to be a lack of coordination between the Indian embassy and Azerbaijan,” he said.

Since last week, according to the ministry of external affairs, around 640 Indian nationals have exited Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan. Unlike previous Operation Sindhu last year when India evacuated its citizens from Iran during a 12-day war, this time it facilitated bus travel for students to the borders so they could fly their citizens out at their own expense.

India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that 90 Indian nationals were facilitated by the Indian embassy in Iran to cross over to Azerbaijan.

However, students who reached the border from Urmia Medical University said the border has been effectively closed since the initial batches crossed.

“Many have missed their scheduled flights since March 15 because border authorities are seeking a 16-digit exit code at the border,”said the student. “But we lack it and have been seeking help from the Indian Embassy.”

Back home, many parents in Srinagar are worried as their children studying MBBS missed their flights home.

“This situation has increased the worries of our children,” said Naseema Bano. “My daughter and her fellow students have been waiting at the border since March 13. The tickets and visa cost us about Rs 60000 but now these tickets stand cancelled. We will be unable to afford them again,” she said, requesting the Indian Embassy to take up the matter with their counterparts in Azerbaijan for smooth facilitation of their wards.

Another mother Asifa is worried her son who is a fifth-year student at IUMS will face the same trouble as his ticket is scheduled for March 18.

“They should have crossed the border today to reach hotels and catch their flight scheduled for 9 pm tomorrow for New Delhi. But they lack a code which has to be given by the Indian embassy to enter Azerbaijan,” she has told ETV Bharat. “Many students are sick as it is cold there. Also some are facing panic attacks. We request authorities to help us in bringing back our children.”

According to Asifa, this is the second time she had to face cancellation of tickets since the war began last month.

“I booked tickets costing Rs 60,000 from Tehran to New Delhi on March 5. But that was cancelled as the airspace was closed. This time, the ticket and visa cost another 60,000. We followed the instructions passed by the ministry of external affairs by booking tickets and visa,” she said, seeking answers for their fault.