New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): Under Operation Sindhu, the Indian government safely evacuated another group of 290 Indian nationals and one Sri Lankan from conflict-hit Mashhad in Iran, bringing them to Delhi and taking the total number of Indians rescued so far to 2,003.

Speaking to the ANI upon arrival, an Indian student who was part of the group said, 'We received a message from the Indian embassy that we would soon be evacuated. After a little difficulty, we were evacuated. The government evacuated us smoothly and safely...'

Fatima Iman, a Sri Lankan national who was also evacuated, expressed gratitude, saying,

'I feel really good, and I am grateful for everything. I contacted the Sri Lankan Embassy for help when the Indian students from my university were getting evacuated,' Iman told ANI.

She further added,'The condition is getting worse with each passing day... This is a great gesture from India, and I am grateful to be part of this operation.'

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs, through its XP Division, informed that the first group of evacuees, 161 Indian citizens who were earlier moved from Israel to Amman, Jordan, by road, will arrive at Delhi's Airport at 11:30 PM IST.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said that the Indian government has scheduled three additional evacuation flights from Iran over the next two to three days as part of its ongoing Operation Sindhu.

Speaking to reporters after receiving a new batch of 285 Indian nationals evacuated from the conflict-hit Iran at the Delhi Airport, Margherita said that 162 Indian nationals who had crossed into Jordan from Israel would be repatriated 'within a day or two.'

The group of 285 evacuees, who arrived on a special flight from Mashhad, included people from several states such as Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

The evacuees were welcomed by the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, after they landed at the Delhi Airport, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.

In a post on X, the MEA stated, 'India's evacuation efforts continue under Operation Sindhu. MoS Shri Pabitra Margherita received 285 Indian nationals evacuated on a special flight from Mashhad that landed in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 22 June.'

'With this, 1,713 Indian nationals have now been brought home from Iran,' it added. (ANI)