A total of 30 foreign nationals, including citizens of China, Brazil, Poland, Nepal, India, the United Arab Emirates, France, and Tunisia, have been evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan through the Astara border crossing point within the last hour. According to Operative Information Center-OMM, citing Report, the Azerbaijani side has established all necessary conditions to facilitate the safe passage of these individuals across the border.
The evacuation process remains ongoing as regional instability escalates. Among the latest group to arrive, Chinese nationals constitute the majority, with official estimates suggesting that the total number of Chinese citizens expected to be evacuated through Azerbaijan will exceed 10. This follows a series of successful crossings between February 28 and March 1, which included 30 Azerbaijani citizens and one Italian national. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Azerbaijan had previously issued a high-level travel advisory, urging all citizens to avoid visiting Iran and advising those currently in the country to depart immediately via Azerbaijan or Turkiye.
The mass movement of foreign and local citizens comes in the wake of significant military developments in the region. On February 28, US President Donald Trump and Israeli forces initiated military operations against targets in Iran, conducting airstrikes across several cities. In response, Iranian forces launched missile strikes toward Israel and targeted fourteen US military bases located in Gulf countries. The escalation has led to the temporary closure of airspace in several neighboring countries. Azerbaijan, sharing a significant land border with Iran, continues to serve as a vital humanitarian corridor for those seeking to exit the conflict zone under the coordination of the Operative Information Center-OMM and relevant state authorities.
