War Heats Up, 32 Indonesian Nationals in Iran Begin Evacuation Today
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu RI) has begun the phased evacuation of Indonesian citizens from Iran today, Friday, 5 March 2026. In the first stage, 32 Indonesian nationals will be relocated via the Azerbaijan route.
Acting Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah, said this evacuation marks the government’s initial step in anticipating the evolving security dynamics in the Middle East.
‘The batch to be evacuated in the first wave from Iran comprises 32 people. But this is still very early; it has just begun. So we are likely to see further developments,’ she said at a press conference in central Jakarta.
She noted that the figure is provisional because the evacuation process is highly dependent on security conditions on the ground, which are continually changing.
She explained that the first-stage evacuation would be carried out via Azerbaijan. However, subsequent routes will be determined according to developments on the ground as assessed by the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran and the Indonesian representation in Azerbaijan.
‘The evacuation of Indonesian citizens from Iran will begin in batches today via Azerbaijan. The next evacuation routes will be determined by the real on-the-ground conditions as assessed by the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran and the Indonesian Embassy in Azerbaijan,’ she added.
The government, she said, will decide the next stage of the evacuation after taking into account the latest security developments and the assessment results from the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran.
Separately, she revealed that governments in the Middle East generally do not recommend mass evacuations of foreign nationals. Some local authorities have even asked people to remain in their homes.
‘Governments in the Middle East generally do not recommend evacuations. Instead, they advise people to stay in their homes,’ she said.
Nevertheless, the Indonesian government continues to prepare a range of precautionary measures to ensure protection for Indonesian citizens in the region.
Since the rise in security tensions, Foreign Minister Sugiono is said to have been in intensive contact with heads of Indonesian missions in the Middle East to ensure protective steps can be implemented quickly and accurately.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also formed a crisis response team tasked with closely monitoring developments. The team conducts daily coordination between the MFA headquarters in Jakarta and Indonesian missions in affected countries.
In addition, Indonesian missions have increased communications with Indonesian communities in their respective jurisdictions, including through online meetings or town hall sessions to convey the latest security developments.
The MFA and Indonesian missions continue to update data on the number and distribution of Indonesian citizens in affected areas as part of contingency planning and evaluation of evacuation options should the situation deteriorate.
The government also periodically monitors the operation of international airports in the affected region and the availability of flights on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran will continue to engage closely with Indonesians still in Iran, whether resident or temporarily staying in the country.
‘The Indonesian Embassy in Tehran will continue to engage and outreach to Indonesian citizens remaining in Iran,’ Heni said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also ensures that the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran remains operational to provide assistance and services to all Indonesians still in Iran.