China and India Advise Nationals in Iran to Consider Armenia as Evacuation Route

TEHRAN — The Chinese embassy in Tehran has issued an evacuation notice listing border points for entry into Turkey, Armenia, and Turkmenistan, according to Reuters. The embassy has released multiple advisories in recent days, urging Chinese citizens to increase safety precautions and closely monitor developments.

“At present, the Israeli-Iranian conflict continues to escalate, with civilian facilities damaged and civilian casualties increasing, making the security situation even more severe,” the embassy warned in a notice posted on WeChat.

Iran’s airspace remains closed, and the embassy cautioned that Iran’s land border crossings may also close in the near future.

India has also begun relocating its nationals from high-risk areas in Iran due to the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and is actively considering Armenia as one of the evacuation routes, The Indian Express reported.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Indian citizens, including students, are being moved to safer locations under the supervision of the Indian Embassy in Tehran, according to Armenpress.

“The government is also evaluating evacuation options, and discussions are underway regarding the use of Armenia as a safe transit route,” the report stated.

The Indian Express also noted that Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has spoken with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, to coordinate logistics and diplomatic arrangements.

As of 2022, around 10,000 Indian nationals, including approximately 2,000 students, reside in Iran.