Arrangements being made to bring back Indians from Iran's Qom city: Jaishankar

The screening process of Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran has started and follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities to bring them back, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Iran is among the countries worst-hit by coronavirus outbreak.

"Efforts underway for return of Indian pilgrims in Qom #Iran. Screening process has started & follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities. This is a top priority & Embassy team @india_in_iran is fully engaged on this," said Jaishankar, while replying to NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweet.

Around 40 Indian citizens are stranded at Qom city in Iran. New Delhi has sent a team of doctors to Iran for screening and has established a clinic at Qom.

Pawar had said he shared his concerns about the citizens in Qom city of Iran with Jaishankar, adding that the people there are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance.

"In the wake of the alarming Covid-19 issue, I voiced my concerns to S Jaishankar ji, Union Minister of External Affairs regarding more than 40 Indian citizens stranded in Qom city in Iran. They are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance," Pawar tweeted.

Iranian Embassy here has also assured that the Indian citizens with no symptoms of the virus will be transferred to India and those whose medical test results are positive will be hospitalized in one of the advanced special medical centres designated by Iran's Ministry of Health.

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases globally has surpassed 101,000, with more than 3,400 deaths and 55,800 recoveries.