New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a travel advisory on Friday urging Indian citizens to refrain from traveling to Iran and Israel until further notice, citing the escalating tensions between the two nations.
“In view of the prevailing situation in the region, all Indians are advised not to travel to Iran or Israel till further notice. All those who are currently residing in Iran or Israel are requested to get in touch with Indian Embassies there and register themselves. They are also requested to observe utmost precautions about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum,” the ministry stated in its announcement.
The advisory comes in response to heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, with reports suggesting potential military action within the next 48 hours. Israel’s foreign minister warned that any attack from Iranian territory would be met with a swift response.
Tensions between the two nations reached a critical juncture when a strike demolished the Iranian consulate in Syria, resulting in the death of a senior Iranian military commander and six officers. Iran promptly blamed Israel for the attack.
In a separate development, over 6,000 Indian laborers are slated to travel to Israel between April and May to address a labor shortage exacerbated by the Israel-Hamas conflict. This deployment is part of a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between India and Israel, aiming to employ a total of 42,000 Indian workers in Israel’s construction and nursing sectors.