The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) on Friday issued a journey advisory after Iran suspended its visa-waiver facility for abnormal Indian passport holders. The suspension takes impact on November 22, 2025, from when Indian nationals might be required to acquire a visa to enter or transit by way of Iran.The transfer follows a number of incidents by which Indian nationals had been allegedly lured to Iran on false job guarantees or assurances of onward journey to different nations.Based on the MEA, a number of Indian nationals had been deceived with pretend job provides or guarantees of onward journey to 3rd nations and had been inspired to make use of Iran’s visa-free entry to make the journey. As soon as they arrived, many had been reportedly kidnapped for ransom.“The eye of Authorities has been drawn to a number of incidents of Indian nationals being lured to Iran on false guarantees of employment or with assurances of onward transit to 3rd nations. These people had been tricked into journeying to Iran by profiting from the visa waiver facility out there for abnormal Indian passport holders. On arrival in Iran, a lot of them had been kidnapped for ransom,” the MEA stated by way of an announcement. In response, the Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran has halted the visa-free entry provision to forestall additional misuse.The MEA has strongly suggested Indians planning to journey to Iran to “stay vigilant” and to keep away from any brokers providing visa-free entry or transit preparations through Iran.Earlier this 12 months, a 26-year-old man from Karala in northwest Delhi was reportedly kidnapped and held in Iran. The sufferer, Himanshu Mathur, was detained for per week and launched after his household paid a ransom of Rs 20 lakh.Mathur was reportedly kidnapped and held in Iran after being lured with guarantees of a job and Australian work visa. He initially contacted Aman Rathi, who satisfied him to finish a 15-day course in Noida and later organized for him to journey to Jakarta after which Tehran. As an alternative of continuing to Australia, Mathur and Rathi had been kidnapped in Chabahar and held by a gang.In a separate case, a younger man from Amritsar, who had hoped to maneuver to the UK, reportedly fell sufferer to a global visa rip-off and was held hostage in Iran. The abductors demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for his launch. Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Granthgarh village in Ajnala Tehsil, had traveled to Iran on September 14, believing a UK visa could be organized for him from there.