NEW DELHI : Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi has issued a strong caution against Washington’s possible entry into the escalating hostilities with Israel, stating that any such move could have “extremely serious consequences for all parties involved.”
In parallel, the Indian diplomatic mission in Tehran has confirmed its readiness to facilitate the evacuation of Nepali and Sri Lankan citizens from Iran, following appeals from their home governments. This assistance aligns with India’s ongoing repatriation efforts amid the volatile situation.
Late Friday night, a passenger aircraft originating from Mashhad, carrying 290 Indian students predominantly hailing from Jammu and Kashmir touched down safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Ministry of External Affairs has scheduled two additional return flights from Mashhad, expected to arrive later today; one at 4:30 pm and the other at 11:30 pm, both at Terminal 3.
Amid these developments, Iranian state broadcasters reported that a missile strike hit a residential complex in Qom on Saturday, claiming two lives and injuring four others. Qom lies in close proximity to the sensitive Fordow nuclear facility. On the other side of the conflict zone, a residential high-rise in Holon, Israel, was seen ablaze.
The human toll from the conflict continues to rise. Official figures released by Iran’s health authorities confirm that at least 430 individuals have lost their lives since hostilities erupted. In Israel, government sources have reported 24 civilian fatalities.
Meanwhile, a high-level European delegation met with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi in Switzerland on Friday in a diplomatic effort to curb the spiraling confrontation. Despite earnest discussions, the dialogue yielded no tangible progress. Araghchi reiterated Iran’s stance that it would not return to the negotiation table unless Israel is first held accountable for what he termed “acts of aggression.”
Simultaneously, US President Donald Trump, addressing reporters, said he is weighing a decision on whether to commit American troops to the worsening crisis. He stated a verdict would be reached within a fortnight, noting a “real possibility” for renewed diplomatic talks surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.
