Strikes on Iran: 'Leave via Armenia or Azerbaijan', Russia urges citizens

Strikes on Iran: 'Leave via Armenia or Azerbaijan', Russia urges citizens
Flag Plaza in Doha,Qatar, 10 November, 2022.
Reuters

Governments across the region responded swiftly to Israel’s strikes on Iran, closing airspace, issuing travel advisories and activating contingency plans amid fears of escalation.

Russia

Russia’s Transport Ministry said that, due to the closure of Iranian and Israeli airspace, Russian airlines had worked out alternative flight routes in advance. Russia has urged its citizens to leave Iran via Armenia or Azerbaijan. The Russian embassy in Iran advised the safest exit routes are via the Astara crossing into Azerbaijan and the Nurduz/Agarak checkpoint into Armenia. It urged travellers to exercise caution and vigilance amid the escalating situation.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Azerbaijani citizens to refrain from travelling to Iran and urged those currently there to leave via Azerbaijan or Türkiye, depending on their location, citing the worsening security situation.

Iraq

Iraq’s Ministry of Transport said on Saturday that the country’s airspace had been closed following airstrikes on neighbouring Iran.

The ministry’s spokesman, Mitham al-Safi, told the state-run Iraqi News Agency that "the closure was preceded by the evacuation of all air traffic from Iraqi airspace."

Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Polish citizens in Iran, including staff at the Polish embassy in Tehran, were safe, but Poland "is prepared for various scenarios" as tensions escalate.

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