32 Indonesian Citizens Evacuated from Iran; Foreign Minister: Safety of Citizens is Top Priority
The Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemlu RI) has evacuated 32 Indonesian Citizens from Iran amid escalating conflict in the Middle East region.
A total of 22 Indonesian citizens have safely arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, whilst the remainder are scheduled to return in subsequent batches.
The first wave of evacuation, conducted on Tuesday, 10 March, involved various categories of Indonesian citizens in Iran. The Indonesian citizens who participated in the first wave evacuation comprised 10 workers, 1 educator or journalist, 14 students or university students, 2 Indonesian migrant workers, and 5 tourists.
The return process for the Indonesian citizens was divided into two batches. The first batch, consisting of 22 people, safely arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten on Tuesday, 10 March at 18:00 WIB, after completing the journey from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, the second batch carrying 10 additional Indonesian citizens from Iran is expected to arrive at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Wednesday, 11 March.
Upon their arrival in Indonesia, the Indonesian citizens were greeted directly by Foreign Minister Sugiono. “We welcome you back to Indonesia and wish you joy in reuniting with your families,” said Foreign Minister Sugiono while greeting the evacuated citizens.
He emphasised that amid the developing security situation in Iran and surrounding regions, the safety of Indonesian citizens remains the government’s top priority. “Since the conflict began, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with Indonesian Missions in the Middle East, has continuously coordinated closely to monitor the situation, conduct census of Indonesian citizens, and discuss contingency measures,” said Foreign Minister Sugiono.
After arriving in the country, the Indonesian citizens will be assisted by regional government authorities to continue their journey to their respective areas of origin.
This evacuation is part of the Indonesian Government’s ongoing efforts, particularly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian Missions abroad, to ensure the safety and protection of Indonesian citizens in conflict-affected regions. In this process, two Indonesian missions have played an important role, namely the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran and the Indonesian Embassy in Baku.
Based on records from the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran, there are currently 329 Indonesian citizens registered as being in Iran. The majority of them are students or university students, many of whom reside in Qom. The remainder consist of Indonesian migrant workers and expatriates.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran, continues to maintain intensive communication with Indonesian citizens in Iran to ensure their conditions and whereabouts, whilst also conducting assessments of the form of assistance that can be provided in accordance with the development of the situation.