‘We wouldn’t have returned if not for the kindness of our Iranian friends’

What was meant to be a joyous funfilled miniholiday in Iran and Dubai had turned into a harrowing ordeal for four Indian citizens However early on Monday Marshal Danavil and his wife Joann Quadros along with their friend and his fianceacutee breathed a sigh of relief as they landed in India ldquoAs soon as we landed in New Delhi we took a 530 am flight from there and returned to Mumbai Our friend and his fianceacutee have also reached their respective homes safelyrdquo said DanavilThe quartet was supposed to return to India on June 18 following a leisure trip to Dubai from June 14 to June 18 after attending their friendrsquos wedding in Iran on June 13 But their plans were derailed by the unexpected conflict that broke out amid escalating tensions in the region leaving them stranded anxious and desperate for helpHostile situationRecollecting their visit to Iran Danavil told midday ldquoWe were looking forward to this trip especially the nuptials as we were to witness a ceremony of a culture we were not familiar with We reached Tehran on June 11 and were welcomed by our friendrsquos family with absolute warmthrdquoBut the couplesrsquo joy was shortlived as on June 12 Iran was attacked by Israel As geopolitical tensions escalated in Tehran everyone was asked to leave the capital city and move to safer parts of the country ldquoFlights were cancelled most roads were blocked and communication networks were severely restricted We could barely make one call in the entire day and that too because we had help from our Iranian friendsrdquo Danavil saidNarrating what they witnessed after this announcement was made Danavil said ldquoWhile some locals left everything behind and started moving to other cities some mdash especially those who had their shops and livelihood there mdash were reluctant to leave and stayed back We along with our friends who had relatives in Kedarlasht moved there Kedarlasht is like a hill station for the Iranians Though we were safe there we were anxious as we wanted to get back home at the earliestrdquoFriends of the couple in Iran as well as those back home were trying their very best to get in touch with the Indian Embassy ldquoThough we were on the move with our friendsrsquo help we had tried to get in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran since the night of June 11 But it was only on June 13 or June 14 that we could make contact They then asked us to reach Mashhad where they had made arrangements for stranded Indiansrdquo said DanavilA fearful journeyReaching Mashhad wasnrsquot an easy affair as it meant looking for transportation to cover a distance of over 900 km ldquoIt was only on the night of June 19 that a car and a driver could be arranged Since it was a sensitive situation and we did not know Farsi the local language our friends did not let us go with an unknown driver or take any other mode of transportation Through their contacts they got in touch with a driver who would drive regularly on the KedarlashtMashhad routerdquo said Danavil adding that the driver was a skilled one and helped them stay calm at every checkpointldquoThere was thorough checking happening at short distances Everywhere we had to show our identity proofs and explain why we were in Iran why we were out on the road and where we were heading Our driver helped us communicate with the police and other officials Had he not been helpful it would have been impossible for us to reach Mashhad from Kedarlashtrdquo said Danavil He added that though the driver eased their 12hour journey to some extent ldquoWe were terrified for our lives the whole routerdquoHotel for the strandedThe couple reached Hotel Eyvan in Mashhad where Indian Embassy officials had made arrangements for the accommodation of all stranded Indians ldquoWe reached the hotel on Friday June 20 evening and were relieved a bit after seeing hundreds of others like us The Embassy officials had made good arrangements and kept us comfortablerdquo said Danavil adding that the entire hotel was filled with students tourists and pilgrims from India who had managed to reach Mashhad through great difficulty just like themWait not over yetThe couple had to wait for three days until they could get on one of the rescue flights arranged from various airports across Iran as part of Operation Sindhu ldquoFrom the hotel we were taken to Mashhad Airport which was approximately an hourrsquos distance away We hopped onto the rescue flight which departed at 830 pm IST and landed at New Delhi around 11 pmrdquo said Danavil adding that approximately 375 stranded Indians most of whom were students were on boardHe added ldquoI had to resume working on Monday as work had piled up because we were delayed by five days So we enquired with all airlines at the Delhi Airport and requested each of them to help us with two tickets to Mumbai via the earliest possible flight Finally an airline helped us and we got a 530 am flight from Delhi to Mumbai on Monday morning and we reached home around 9 am and I immediately left for workrdquoThe couple added that representatives of each state were present at the Delhi Airport to help people reach their hometowns ldquoThose who had availed of travel arrangements made by the government throughout did not have to pay any fare However since we could not wait we paid for our DelhiMumbai flightrdquo added DanavilWords of gratitudeStating that returning home would have been impossible without the support of their Iranian friends Danavil said ldquoFrom language barriers currency issues to a safe roof over our head our Iranian friends proved that they have the highest level of hospitality We had calculated and carried just enough riyals for two days and the rest of our money was in dollars as we were supposed to head to Dubai for our vacation But who knew a war would break outrdquoThe couple mentioned that their Iranian friends did not just provide them with a safe home and food but also ensured that they stayed calm by keeping them in the dark about the war to avoid stressing them and helping them reach the Indian evacuation camp hotel safely and as early as possible and also by making monetary arrangements for that tripBad memoriesldquoOur flight to Dubai was on June 14 But we had to stay back in Iran as they closed their airspace due to the situation We do not know if we will ever be able to visit Dubai considering the memories attached to it nowrdquo said DanavilReunion with JackWhile the couple missed their family and friends they were desperate to meet their beloved dog Jack ldquoWe had left him at a dogsitterrsquos place We had not informed all our relatives about the Tehran leg of our trip They just knew that we had planned a vacation to Dubai We were quite worried for Jack as he had to stay away from us for five extra days and he is not used to staying away from us for this long He jumped with joy when he saw us and we also hugged him tightlyrdquo said Danavil