Over 600 foreigners flee Iran into Azerbaijan

More than 600 foreign nationals have fled Iran into neighbouring Azerbaijan since Israeli airstrikes began last Friday, June 13, a senior Azerbaijani government official confirmed on Tuesday, June 17. The official, speaking to AFP, said the evacuations involved citizens from 17 countries and were facilitated through the Astara border checkpoint along the Caspian Sea. The evacuees were subsequently transported to Baku airport for onward travel to their respective home countries. Among those evacuated are nationals from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Vietnam. Azerbaijan has kept its land borders closed since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. However, the official noted that a temporary exception was made to allow safe passage for individuals fleeing the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. In light of the evacuation need, Azerbaijan has temporarily opened its border for those leaving Iran, the government source stated. Turkmenistan, another reclusive Central Asian country, also confirmed that it had permitted the transit of about 120 evacuees, primarily Central Asian nationals, through its territory. The evacuation efforts come amid intensifying hostilities between Israel and Iran. Israel launched a wave of aerial strikes on Iranian targets last Friday, claiming the attacks were necessary to thwart Irans alleged nuclear ambitionsan accusation Tehran strongly denies. According to Iranian officials, the Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people and injured over 1,000. In response, Iran has carried out retaliatory attacks on Israel, which the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said have resulted in 24 deaths since the escalation began. The violence has heightened concerns over regional stability and prompted international calls for restraint, as fears grow over the potential for a broader Middle East conflict.The post Over 600 foreigners flee Iran into Azerbaijan appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

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