Tehran, March 16: India has again warned its citizens in Iran not to attempt to cross any land border without prior and explicit coordination with the Embassy in Tehran.

In an advisory on Monday, the Indian Embassy in Tehran said, “In continuation/ reiteration of our advisory of March 9, all Indian nationals currently in Iran are strictly advised not to approach or attempt to cross any land border of Iran for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Embassy of India, Tehran.”

The Embassy stated that it is in regular contact with members of the Indian community, and coordinated arrangements are being undertaken wherever necessary.

“Uncoordinated movement toward land borders is strongly discouraged,” it said.

Indian nationals who attempt to leave Iran via land borders without the knowledge and guidance of the Embassy, it said, are “highly likely to encounter serious logistical and immigration difficulties”.

“Please note that the Embassy will not be in a position to provide assistance once individuals move outside Iranian territory without prior coordination,” the advisory read.

“All Indian nationals in Iran are therefore urged to strictly follow Embassy advisories and remain in touch with official channels, and before undertaking any travel,” it added.

Meanwhile, the first batch of 70 Indian students evacuated from Iran via Armenia has safely landed in Delhi, the J&K Students Association (JKSA) announced on Sunday.

Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of the JKSA, said: “The first batch of more than 70 Indian students — the majority of them from Jammu and Kashmir, along with several pilgrims — who had been stranded in Iran amid the ongoing war-like situation in the region, safely arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, on a commercial flight this morning as part of the initial phase of the evacuation process.

“The students returned to India via a connecting journey through Armenia and Dubai after undertaking a long and difficult land and air transit arranged in coordination with the concerned authorities.”

These students travelled from different cities in Iran by bus and crossed into Armenia, from where they boarded a Flydubai flight from Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan to Dubai. From Dubai, the passengers boarded another connecting Flydubai flight that landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 9.45 a.m. on Sunday.

The majority of the returning students had been studying at various universities across Iran, including Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and other universities across the country. Many of them had earlier been relocated to safer locations by the Indian Embassy in Tehran amid the deteriorating security situation.

The Association expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Tehran for facilitating the safe evacuation and ensuring the students’ return to India during a challenging situation. This development has brought much-needed relief to students and families across Kashmir who had been deeply worried about the safety of their children in the conflict-affected region.

Washington, March 16: US fighter jets have targeted Iran’s military positions near the Chabahar Free Trade Zone, according to reports.

The sounds of explosion were heard in the area behind the Chabahar Free Trade Zone, Al Jazeera reported, citing Voice of America’s Persian language service.

The free trade zone is located in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province near the border with Pakistan.

The reports come amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia which erupted following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which killed Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military officials. In response, Iran has targeted both US assets and civilian sites, including airports, ports and oil facilities across the Gulf.

As the conflict entered its third week and global energy markets remained under pressure due to the near-halt in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, senior officials in the Trump administration said that the war with Iran could end within weeks.

Speaking on ABC’s This Week, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the administration believed the military campaign was progressing quickly.

“Hey, there’s no guarantees in wars at all,” Wright said in the interview with ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz.

But he added that officials expected the conflict to conclude soon.

“I think that this conflict will certainly come to an end in the next few weeks, could — could be sooner than that,” Wright said.

Meanwhile, Iran has rejected suggestions that it is seeking a ceasefire in the ongoing war, saying it will continue fighting and defending itself as long as necessary.

In an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi denied that Tehran had requested a ceasefire or negotiations with Washington.

“No, we never asked for a cease-fire, and we have never asked even for negotiation,” Araghchi told CBS moderator Margaret Brennan.

He said Iran would continue its military response to what it described as aggression by the United States.

“We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes,” Araghchi said.

The foreign minister argued that the conflict had been initiated by Washington and accused President Donald Trump of choosing war.

“This is a war of choice by President Trump and the United States, and we are going to continue our self-defense,” he said.

Araghchi also dismissed suggestions that Tehran needed to negotiate to survive the conflict.

“No, it’s not a war of survival. We are stable and strong enough,” he said.

New Delhi, March 16: Dubai Airport on Monday announced to temporarily suspend all flights as a precautionary safety measure, after a drone struck a fuel tank in the area.

“Flights at DXB (Dubai International Airport) are temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff. Please contact your airlines for the latest flight updates. Further updates will be shared as they become available,” Dubai Airport said in a post on X.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said travellers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding their flights.

“Further updates will be announced through official channels as soon as they become available,” the Dubai Media Office wrote on X.

A fire broke out near Dubai International Airport on Monday after a drone struck a fuel tank, prompting a rapid response from emergency teams and the temporary suspension of flights. Authorities said Dubai Civil Defence crews were immediately deployed to tackle the blaze and that no injuries were reported as safety measures were activated across the vicinity.

Dubai Civil Defence crews were immediately deployed to tackle the blaze and that no injuries were reported as safety measures were activated across the vicinity.

Meanwhile, an Emirates flight bound for Dubai from Kochi returned to the airport here on Monday following a security incident reported from the destination airport.

“Flight EK533 departed Cochin International Airport (CIAL) at 04.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn back due to the sudden closure of Dubai International Airport,” a CIAL spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s defence ministry has reported six deaths since the conflict began – four civilians and two military personnel. The soldiers died in a helicopter crash that was linked to a technical issue.