Sri Lanka expresses gratitude to India for evacuating its nationals from Iran

Tehran, June 21 (IANS) Sri Lanka on Saturday expressed gratitude to India for assistance in evacuating its nationals from violence-hit Iran alongside Indian citizens amid tensions with Israel.

“Sri Lanka extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of India for the timely assistance to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals from Iran alongside Indian citizens,” the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka, Spokesperson, wrote on X.

He said that this act of solidarity exemplifies the strong and enduring partnership between the two countries.

“This help is deeply appreciated by the people of Sri Lanka,” he mentioned in his X post.

India to evacuate Nepalese, Sri Lankan nationals from Iran amid escalating tensions

Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Tehran announced that, upon formal requests from the governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the evacuation also included nationals from these two neighbouring countries.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy stated, "On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy's evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka."

The embassy also issued emergency contact numbers for affected citizens to seek immediate assistance: +989010144557, +989128109115, and +989128109109.

A Telegram channel was also activated for effective coordination and communication.

The development comes as tensions escalate sharply between Iran and Israel, following the launch of Israel's 'Operation Rising Lion,' a military initiative reportedly aimed at crippling Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has responded with a series of counterstrikes, leading to a rapidly deteriorating security environment in the region.

In response to the mounting crisis, India initiated Operation Sindhu to ensure the safe return of its nationals from Iran.

On Saturday morning, a special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, arrived in Delhi, carrying Indian citizens out of danger zones.

--IANS

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