External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the government is working to evacuate Indians stranded in Iran amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus.

He said, the government is collaborating with Iranian authorities to set up a screening process for the return of Indians from Iran. Iran has reported 54 deaths from COVID-19, the second-highest after China. 987 people have been infected from the virus.

In a tweet,Jaishankar said he has directed the Indian Ambassador to keep all those concerned d of the progress in this regard. External Affairs Minister was responding to requests made by the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to evacuate Kerala fishermen stranded in Iran following the coronavirus outbreak.

These fishermen are working with Iranian fishing companies.