Five Nepali nationals imprisoned in Iran returned home on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

The release came following an Iranian court order. The five, who were jailed while en route to another country, arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday with support from Nepal’s consulate in Tehran and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

According to the ministry, 11 other Nepalis had been residing in Iran. Nine were earlier repatriated to Nepal through an Indian evacuation initiative.

The repatriation was part of India’s “Operation Sindhu”, launched to evacuate its citizens during the Iran-Israel conflict that began on June 13 and ended in a ceasefire on June 23.

Nepal had formally requested India’s assistance to rescue its nationals stranded in Iran. All Nepalis were evacuated in three phases and returned safely via land route through India.

The ministry said it coordinated closely with Nepali missions in Tehran, Tel Aviv and Doha throughout the conflict. Travel advisories and safety updates were issued, prioritising the well-being of Nepali citizens in the region.

The security situation in Iran and Israel has gradually stabilised since the ceasefire, and normal life is resuming, the ministry said.