India, Sep 20 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a strong advisory cautioning Indian citizens against traveling to Iran on the basis of dubious job offers, following an alarming rise in cases where unsuspecting individuals have been trapped, kidnapped, and subjected to ransom demands by criminal syndicates.
According to the ministry, several Indian nationals were recently deceived into traveling to Tehran with promises of lucrative employment or assurances of onward placement in third countries. However, upon arrival they fell prey to organized criminal groups that abducted them and demanded hefty ransoms from their families back home for their release.
“There have been a number of recent cases involving Indian citizens who have been lured to travel to Iran on false promises of employment, or with assurances that they would be sent further to third countries for employment,” the advisory stated, underlining the seriousness of the threat.
The MEA highlighted that visa-free entry into Iran is permitted solely for tourism, not for employment. It warned that agents or recruiters who claim to facilitate work opportunities without proper documentation could in fact be operating in collusion with criminal networks targeting vulnerable job seekers.
“All Indian citizens are strongly cautioned to exercise the strictest vigilance regarding such employment promises or offers,” the ministry stressed. The advisory urged travelers to verify the authenticity of job opportunities through official channels, avoid falling for schemes that sound “too good to be true,” and ensure that any travel is backed by valid documentation and contracts.
The ministry further emphasized that Indian nationals should carefully assess risks before undertaking journeys based on employment assurances, as failure to do so could expose them to grave danger. Families were also urged to remain alert and to discourage relatives from pursuing unsafe overseas job opportunities, especially those routed through informal agents.
The MEA reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Indian citizens abroad but cautioned that prevention and vigilance remain the best protection against exploitation.