Tehran Alert Level 1: Foreign Ministry Begins Second-Phase Evacuation of Indonesian Citizens from Iran
Jakarta — The Indonesian Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu RI), has officially raised the emergency status in Tehran, Iran, to Alert Level 1. This action follows mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East region following military escalations in the area.
Heni Hamidah, Acting Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at the Foreign Ministry, stated that the status upgrade is the result of a thorough assessment of security conditions on the ground. In addition to Tehran, several other strategic locations have also been placed on alert status.
“The emergency level for each country at this embassy is determined by looking at real conditions on the ground. Tehran is now Alert Level 1, then Beirut is Alert Level 2, Damascus Alert Level 2, and Dubai Alert Level 3,” said Heni during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.
In response to the situation, the government continues to carry out staged evacuations of Indonesian nationals from Iran. Hamidah reported that the first evacuation phase successfully returned 32 Indonesian citizens on 10 and 11 March. The government is currently completing the second evacuation phase, which includes 34 Indonesian nationals.
“The second evacuation phase is currently underway, involving 34 Indonesian citizens who will also be flown home in two waves. The first wave, God willing, will arrive today at 18:00 hours with 20 people, and tomorrow 14 people will arrive in Jakarta,” she explained.
Hamidah added that the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran will continue to assess security conditions to determine further evacuation steps, taking into account the willingness of Indonesian nationals still in Iran.
Over 6,000 Indonesian citizens have been stranded at airports following airspace closures. In addition to evacuation from conflict zones, the government is prioritising assistance for thousands of Indonesian nationals stranded at various international airports due to the sudden closure of airspace.
Hamidah noted that more than 6,000 Indonesian nationals are affected, with the largest concentration in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“The first impact on Indonesian citizens from this conflict is that they are stranded. According to our calculations, the number of stranded Indonesian nationals from the beginning to now is more than 6,000. In stages, they are being facilitated to return home, of course considering flight routes and airspace that are open,” she concluded.
To date, the government continues to maintain intensive communication with airlines and aviation authorities to ensure the safe return of Indonesian nationals as some air routes gradually reopen.