Iran says it is investigating 'missing' Indian nationals en route to Australia

The families of the men, who are from Punjab state, allege they have been kidnapped in Iran.

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The men, all of whom are from the northern state of Punjab, had a stopover in Iran on 1 May, and were on their way to Australia, where they were promised lucrative jobs by a local travel agent.

Their families allege that they were kidnapped upon their arrival by unknown men, who are now demanding a ransom of 5m rupees ($63,000; £47,000).

On Thursday, the Iranian Embassy said on X that it was keeping Indian authorities informed of all developments "within the judicial system" and warned about the dangers of taking illegal immigration routes.

"Given the nature of this incident, Indian citizens are strongly advised not to be deceived by the promises of unauthorised individuals or illegal Indian agencies offering travel to other countries," it said.