'Network down, praying to Allah that he remains safe': Lucknow resident anxiously awaits news of his son's safety in Iran

LUCKNOW: Aamir Abbas Zaidi, a resident of Lucknow, on Sunday voiced grave concern for his son’s safety in Iran, where he is recovering from a major open-heart surgery performed just eight days ago.

Speaking to ANI, Zaidi said he has been struggling to get updates about his son due to network disruptions following military strikes on Iran by the US and Israel on Saturday.




Aamir Abbas Zaidi, while speaking to ANI, said, "My son underwent open heart surgery in Iran eight days ago... I tried to contact my son, but the network is down there, so I couldn't. I spoke to my son last night. He said the situation is not good. We are praying to Allah that he remains safe."

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an urgent advisory asking all Indian nationals to leave Iran immediately through available commercial flights or other modes of transport amid the worsening security situation. The advisory applies to students, pilgrims, businesspersons and tourists.



In a major setback to Tehran’s leadership, the Israeli Air Force said its fighter jets carried out strikes on military targets in Iran, reportedly killing seven senior Iranian defence officials, including Ali Shamkhani and Mohammad Pakpour.

In a post on X, the Israeli Air Force shared, "IAF fighter jets precisely struck military targets across Iran, eliminating 7 senior officials of the Iranian Defence Leadership: Ali Shamkhani, Mohammad Pakpour, Saleh Asadi, Mohammad Shirazi, Aziz Nasirzadeh, Hossein Jabal Amelian, Reza Mozaffari-Nia. The world is a better place without them."

The Israeli Air Force said missiles were recently launched from Iran toward Israel.

Iran is observing 40 days of national mourning after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, with widespread grief and protests reported across the country. The Supreme Leader's office has declared a period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and public gatherings planned to pay respects.

Khamenei, who succeeded the Revolution's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, led Iran with unwavering defiance against Western influence since 1989.

Authorities have stepped up security across the country, especially in major cities such as Tehran, to forestall unrest and ensure public safety. Attention has now turned to selecting Khamenei’s successor, with widespread speculation about potential candidates and what the transition could mean for Iran’s future leadership.

(With agency inputs)