COVID-19: IAF's C-17 departs for Iran to evacuate stranded Indians  

Indian Air Force's C-17 Globalmaster has left for Iran to evacuate Indian stranded in the country as the coronavirus pandemic spreads in the west Asian country. The plane with 14 Air Force officers and four medical staff is led by Wing Commander Karan Kapoor and will be landing in the Iranian capital at 2 am IST.

While no details have been given on how many Indians will be brought back, the number could be 100 or more.

The C17 leaves Tehran at 4 am IST and reaches India at 9 am IST on Tuesday.

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This is the second time C17 is being sent to evacuate Indians this year.In February end, India had sent C17 to evacuate Indians from Wuhan, China.

Sources said, more sorties of IAF can be expected to evacuate Indian citizens in coming days.

India will be evacuating its pilgrims first from Iran, followed by students stranded in the country in the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic.

New Delhi has also set up a medical screening centre in the central Iranian city of Qom, which is the worst impacted by the pandemic.

The Indian government is negotiating with the Iranian government to establish more screening centres in other cities of Iran.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with parents of stranded Indian students in Srinagar and assured that the Indian government is doing its best to bring them back.

The Indian govt will be facilitating the return via normal civil aviation channels by resuming and rearranging flights and medical screening before leaving Iran. Currently, there are no direct flights between India and Iran as the flight operation stands cancelled due to coronavirus epidemic.

Iran evacuated 215 of its citizens from India. A flight from Iran arrived in India on Saturday carrying swab samples of 180 Indians. The samples are being tested at a laboratory in AIIMS. Six scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are stationed in Iran.