India, Sept. 20 -- The Government of India has issued an urgent advisory cautioning Indian citizen against falling for fraudulent job offers in Iran, following a surge in kidnapping cases involving Indian nationals. According to the advisory, several Indians were lured to Iran with promises of employment or onward travel to third countries. Upon arrival, they were abducted by criminal gangs, who then demanded ransom from their families in India for their release.

The advisory stressed that visa-free entry to Iran is allowed for tourism purposes only and warned that agents promising visa-free travel for employment may be linked to criminal networks.

"All Indian citizens are strongly cautioned to exercise the strictest vigilance," the Minis...