QUETTA / GWADAR: As many as 439 more Pakistani nationals, including students, diplomats, businessmen, pilgrims and tourists, returned from Iran on Tuesday as tensions escalated following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders and commanders by Israeli-US air strikes.

Officials said nearly 1,000 Pak­istanis have crossed back into the country over the past three days through the Taftan border in Cha­gai district and the Gabd-Rimdan border in Gwadar district.

According to FIA officials, 284 Pakistanis entered through Taftan on Tuesday, including male and female students as well as 46 businessmen. Through the Gabd-Rimdan border, 155 individuals crossed into Pakistan, including 69 students and 15 Pakistani diplomats.

Officials added that one Iran­i­­an national and one citizen of Cro­atia also entered Pakistan throu­­gh the Gabd-Rimdan crossing.

A senior FIA official posted at Gabd told Dawn that immigration offices at both border points were operating round the clock to facilitate returnees. “More Pakistanis, including pilgrims and tourists, are on their way through buses,” he said.

Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Naqibullah Kakar and Chagai Deputy Commissioner Jahanzeb Noor Shah supervised the repatriation process and arrangements for accommodation, food and onward transport.

Diplomats who returned from Iran, belonging to the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), said that following sustained Israeli-US air strikes on Tehran, nearly 80 per cent of residents had temporarily relocated to villages and far-flung areas.

Despite the bombardment, they said essential services such as ATM banking, internet and electricity remained operational, while petrol stations and key institutions were functioning round the clock.

The diplomats added that the people of Iran were expressing solidarity with its government amid the crisis and dismissed claims that Reza Shah Pahlavi had public backing within Iran.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2026