Iran Consulate in Hyderabad assures safety of Indians amid protests

Hyderabad: Amid mounting large-scale protests in Iran, the Iran Consulate in Hyderabad on Wednesday, January 7, released a statement offering safety to Indians travelling to the Middle Eastern country and not to believe “false news.”

“The Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hyderabad wishes to categorically affirm that the situation in Iran remains stable and fully under control. There is no threat whatsoever to Indian citizens residing in or visiting Iran, and all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of all foreign nationals, including Indian citizens,” read the statement.

The Consulate has categorically rejected claims by sections of the media suggesting that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is preparing to leave the country. “The Consulate General strongly rejects false, baseless, and fabricated claims and allegations, with no foundation in reality. These narratives are nothing but a continuation of propaganda driven by certain American and Israeli regime media outlets,” the statement read.

Iran protests

Iran, of late, has been reeling under intense protests from its citizens after its ailing economy put new pressure on its theocracy.

Still wobbling from a 12-day war launched by Israel and the US bombing its nuclear sites, Tehran is struggling under heavy economic pressure, only intensified in September by the return of United Nations sanctions on the country over its atomic program. These developments have put Iran’s Rial currency into a free fall, now trading at some 1.4 million to just one dollar.

The collapse of the Rial has led to a widening economic crisis. Prices are up on meat, rice and other staples of the Iranian dinner table. The nation has been struggling with an annual inflation rate of some 40 per cent.

Moreover, its self-described “Axis of Resistance” — a coalition of countries and militant groups backed by Tehran — has been decimated in the years since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.