by Suman Gupta
New Delhi/Mumbai, The Government of India has issued an advisory for Indian nationals seeking employment in Iran, following several incidents where citizens were lured under false pretenses and later trapped.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “There have been a number of recent cases involving Indian citizens who have been lured to travel to Iran on false promises of employment, or with assurances that they would be sent further to third-countries for employment.” The ministry further noted that upon arrival in Iran, many of these individuals were kidnapped by criminal groups, with ransom demands made for their release.
The advisory urged Indian nationals to exercise utmost caution, especially with offers claiming visa-free entry for jobs in Iran. It stated, “In this context, all Indian citizens are strongly cautioned to exercise the strictest vigilance regarding such employment promises or offers. In particular, it may be noted that the Government of Iran allows visa-free entry to Indians only for tourism purposes. Any agents promising visa-free entry into Iran for employment or other purposes may well be in connivance with criminal gangs. Indian citizens are therefore advised not to fall prey to such offers.”
The Government of India emphasized that it continues to place the highest priority on the safety of Indian citizens abroad and is closely monitoring the situation to safeguard their interests.
