More than 70 Chinese nationals were evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan on Sunday as the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel continued.
A bus arranged by the Chinese embassy in Azerbaijan left the Astara checkpoint in southern Azerbaijan on the border with Iran early Sunday afternoon, carrying the first group of the 76 Chinese nationals to leave Iran.
According to the embassy, the evacuees will be transferred to Azerbaijan's capital Baku.
The evacuees expressed their gratitude to the Chinese embassy, which facilitated a smooth and orderly evacuation process, enabling their successful transfer from Iran to Azerbaijan.
"We are extremely grateful to the Chinese embassy for helping transfer us from Iran to Azerbaijan. All procedures and systems in Azerbaijan are standardized. Without the Chinese Embassy, we would not have been able to be rescued. We are so touched. Thank you so much," said Cao Hong, one of the evacuees.
"Entering Azerbaijan was smooth, and the Chinese embassy reassured us. Their attitude and service were top-notch," said Liu Yunbo, another evacuee.
The Chinese embassy in Azerbaijan issued a consular alert on Feb 28, saying that it would provide necessary assistance to Chinese citizens entering Azerbaijan or transiting through the country to return home.
The U.S. and Israel on Saturday launched "major combat operations" against Iran, killing hundreds, including the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region, with explosions reported in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.
76 Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan
