Turkmenistan assist in evacuation from Iran amid rising tensions

Turkmenistan has provided transit support and basic humanitarian guarantees for foreign nationals fleeing Iran where the deadly conflict with Israel continued for a sixth consecutive day Wednesday, raising fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.

In light of the current situation in the Middle East, the Central Asian country bordering Iran has taken immediate measures to provide its territory for the departure of foreign diplomats, their families, and other nationals currently located in Iran.

More than 120 citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Romania, China and other countries have already entered Turkmenistan through border points from Iran.

All those who arrived were promptly provided with necessary support, including vehicles for further movement, hot meals, essential items and accommodation in the Sport Hotel in Ashgabat, capital of the country.

In addition, Turkmenistan immediately provided its airspace for unimpeded use by all foreign airlines that were forced to change their routes due to the current situation in the Middle East.

Zahid Munir Amir, a renowned scholar, poet, critic, researcher and media expert from Pakistan, expressed his appreciation for Turkmenistan's entertainment and attention.

"We arrived in an emergency situation in Turkmenistan and this is our first experience with Turkmenistan and Turkmenistani people and no doubt it's a marvelous experience and we have seen the grandeur, the beauty and the modification of this town and we can imagine the taste and leadership of your national leader and taste of your nation," he said.

In a major escalation of regional tensions, Israel launched large-scale airstrikes early on June 13, targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes later that day, while the two sides have continued to trade missile attacks in the days since.

Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, multiple countries have meanwhile issued urgent travel advisories, calling on their citizens to leave Iran immediately and avoid non-essential travel to the region.

Turkmenistan assist in evacuation from Iran amid rising tensions

Ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank have led to multiple deaths, arrests, and rising tensions, as both sides report violence and economic fallout.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on Monday, saying that during operations in the southern Gaza Strip that day, IDF troops killed three "militants" who had crossed the "yellow line" of the military ceasefire. The statement added that IDF forces would remain deployed in the area and would continue operations to eliminate threats.

On the same day, the Palestinian Ministry of the Interior in the Gaza Strip issued a statement saying that Mahmoud Al-Astal, head of the police investigation department in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, was shot and killed. According to sources, Al-Astal was a key member of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). A Palestinian armed group in Gaza, backed by Israel, claimed responsibility for the shooting on Monday.

According to a report by the official Palestinian news agency on Monday, Israeli forces continued their raids across several areas of the West Bank and around Jerusalem, arresting more than 20 Palestinian residents and injuring one person. In some areas, the Israeli forces also conducted house searches, imposed roadblocks, and leveled farmland. Meanwhile, large numbers of Israeli Jewish settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, entered Palestinian farmlands to graze livestock, damage olive trees, and assault Palestinian shepherds while attempting to seize animals, leading to clashes with local residents.

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture released a comprehensive report on Monday, saying that in 2025, the agricultural sector in the West Bank suffered systematic attacks by Israeli forces and Israeli Jewish settlers, resulting in direct economic losses exceeding 103 million U.S. dollars, an intensity rarely seen in recent years.

Tensions escalate as IDF operations continue in Gaza, West Bank