TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that approximately 3,000 Taiwanese citizens in the Middle East are safe and accounted for amid ongoing regional conflict.
In response to media inquiries, the ministry said there have been no reports of Taiwanese casualties following the joint US-Israeli strike on Iran and that there are no current evacuation orders for Taiwanese in the Middle East, per CNA. However, a red travel advisory has been issued for Israel, urging citizens to depart the country.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) addressed the conflict Sunday morning and said maintaining the safety of Taiwanese in the region is a priority. He said he has directed relevant agencies to monitor the situation and prepare response measures for any economic or security impacts resulting from the conflict.
MOFA said that as of Sunday it has not received any requests for evacuation assistance from citizens in the Middle East or Central Asia. However, consular offices throughout the region are ready to assist if needed and have activated emergency response mechanisms.
To ensure the safety of overseas Taiwanese, representative offices have contacted citizens known to be in or near the conflict zone. Of the 3,000 Taiwanese in the region, around 2,000 are in Saudi Arabia, 300 in the United Arab Emirates, 262 in Israel, 200 in Qatar, and 124 in Jordan.
An additional 50 Taiwanese are in Kuwait, 23 in Oman and 22 in Bahrain. Four Taiwanese are currently known to be in Iran, and all have been accounted for.
After the US and Israel launched missile strikes, the ministry raised the travel alert for Israel from orange to red and urged citizens to leave. The travel advisory for Iran has been at red since January.
Taiwanese citizens are urged to avoid travel to high-risk countries. Those already in the region should remain vigilant and maintain contact with the nearest Taiwanese consular office.
The government will continue monitoring the situation to determine whether further response measures are necessary.
