The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monitors and Maintains Communication with 1,170 Indonesians in Iran and Lebanon

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran and the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut continues to monitor Indonesian citizens (WNI) who are in Iran and Lebanon, said the Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah.

Iran is currently embroiled in conflict with the United States and Israel, along with attacks on Tehran and a number of other cities on February 28. A total of 1,170 Indonesian citizens are in the two countries.

Meanwhile in Lebanon, Israel continues to carry out attacks on a number of areas by targeting the militant group Hezbollah in the latest conflict that broke out on March 2.

Heni explained that there are currently 236 Indonesian citizens in Iran, after there were three waves of gradual evacuation of Indonesian citizens from the Land of the Mullahs.

"Based on the KBRI Tehran's report, the number of Indonesian citizens who are still recorded in Iran after the third phase of evacuation is 236 people," said Heni in a press statement at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jakarta, Thursday (16/4).

"Most of them are students or students with concentrations in Qom City. The rest are PMI (Indonesian migrant workers) and Indonesian citizens who are married to local residents," added Heni.

Furthermore, Heni revealed, following the first and second stages of the evacuation of Indonesian citizens from Iran in March, the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran in cooperation with the Embassy in Baku has carried out the third stage of evacuation which was followed by 45 people.

Heni explained that the Indonesian citizens were sent from Tehran on April 12 to Baku, Azerbaijan via land route, then flew to their homeland on a commercial flight.

"They are divided into three arrival clusters in Jakarta. The first arrived on April 14 with 14 people. The second cluster of nine people arrived on April 15, and the third cluster of nine people will arrive this afternoon," explained Heni.

"There are still 13 crew members who are still in Baku waiting for the next flight to the country," continued Heni, adding that upon arrival in Indonesia "they will be handed over to the Social Service and the provincial liaison agency for the repatriation process to their respective home areas."

Regarding the next evacuation, Heni said that plans were always prepared according to conditions in the field.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Heni ensured that the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut continued to monitor the presence of 934 Indonesian citizens, consisting of 756 TNI soldiers who are part of the UNIFIL peace force mission, as well as 178 civilians consisting of Indonesian citizens, PMI and those who are married to local residents.

"The Indonesian Embassy continues to communicate and monitor the whereabouts of Indonesian citizens in Lebanon," said Heni.

"It can be confirmed, all Indonesian citizens in Lebanon are safe and of course the Indonesian Embassy continues to monitor when the conditions get worse, contingency plans have been prepared," he said.

Heni emphasized that this contingency plan is always updated at all times, according to conditions in the field.

Currently, the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut and the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran have set the Alert Status I, said Heni.