New Delhi/Baku, April 2 (NationPress) - India expressed its sincere appreciation to the government of Azerbaijan for facilitating the evacuation of Indian citizens from Iran via its land border.

During a regular media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal revealed that approximately 204 Indian nationals successfully crossed over into Azerbaijan from Iran.

He highlighted that multiple evacuees have already returned to India, with more expected in the upcoming days.

"We have our ambassador in Azerbaijan. He recently presented his credentials, discussing several bilateral matters during that meeting. In total, 204 Indian nationals managed to exit Iran for Azerbaijan through the land border, and they'll be returning home shortly. Many have already arrived, while others are anticipated to return in the next few days," Jaiswal stated.

"We extend our gratitude to the government of Azerbaijan for their assistance in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Iran via the land route. We maintain ongoing consultations and regular exchanges between both nations, and we hope to have more information soon," he added.

The previous day, India's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Abhay Kumar, met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, where he delivered a copy of his Letter of Credence. The pair engaged in fruitful discussions on bilateral relations and regional matters.

As per the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, their meeting assessed the current state of relations between Azerbaijan and India and sought avenues for enhanced cooperation.

They also exchanged perspectives on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The Indian Ambassador voiced his profound appreciation to the Azerbaijani government for their support during the evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran, as mentioned by the Foreign Ministry.

Last month, the MEA reported that at least 882 Indian nationals, including students, business professionals, and pilgrims, successfully returned home through Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"Many individuals do not register with the embassy, leading us to estimate around 9,000 people. A significant number of students had returned before the conflict escalated. Currently, about 882 Indian citizens, encompassing students, business professionals, and pilgrims who traveled from there, are returning through routes in Azerbaijan and Armenia, with some already back," Jaiswal noted.

"Out of the 284 pilgrims who journeyed there, 280 have returned via Armenia. There are still a few others expected to arrive within a day or two," he concluded.