BEIJING – The Chinese government has evacuated more than 1,600 citizens from Iran and hundreds more from Israel, as tensions between the two countries escalate, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, Guo Jiakun said that evacuation operations are ongoing and that China is maintaining active communication with Iran, Israel, Egypt, and Oman. Guo urged all parties, especially Israel, to implement an immediate ceasefire to de-escalate the worsening situation.
The conflict intensified on Thursday as Israel launched a strike on a major Iranian nuclear facility, and Iran retaliated by targeting an Israeli hospital with missile fire. With no signs of easing hostilities, the need for evacuation has become urgent.
The Chinese Embassy in Iran reiterated its call for citizens to leave the country using land routes, while warning of extended immigration processing times due to heavy congestion at key border crossings. Two affected routes are Astara, leading into Azerbaijan, located 490 km from Tehran, and Bajgiran, heading into Turkmenistan, which lies about 910 km from the Iranian capital. Additional exit options include routes through Turkey, Armenia, and Iraq, according to the embassy.
Meanwhile, China’s Embassy in Israel announced that it will begin batch evacuations starting Friday, offering transportation for Chinese nationals to the Taba Border Crossing into Egypt, approximately 360 km from Tel Aviv.
The foreign ministry emphasized that China remains committed to protecting its citizens abroad and urged all parties involved in the conflict to show restraint and work toward a peaceful resolution.