Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand’s embassy staff in Tehran were evacuated by land to Azerbaijan, and the embassy there has been temporarily closed.
He explained that an opportunity arose overnight to move embassy personnel out of Iran, traveling in a convoy alongside government officials from other countries. Peters emphasized that the New Zealand government has a responsibility to protect its overseas staff and acted quickly to remove them from danger.
Peters stressed that the government does not want New Zealanders to be at risk. He said, “If and when chances come up to help other New Zealanders leave Iran and Israel, we will act swiftly.”
He reminded the public that New Zealand’s longstanding advice has been to avoid travel to Iran, and the current situation confirms why that guidance remains in place.
The minister also noted that reopening airspace in the region could take weeks. He urged New Zealanders to leave as soon as safely possible if they can find a secure route. For those who cannot leave, he advised them to shelter in place.
New Zealand is working closely with Australia and other consular partners, who are considering evacuation flights once the airspace reopens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has contacted airlines in the region to explore commercial travel options.
In the meantime, MFAT continues to provide registered New Zealanders with information on crossing borders overland and will keep updating them in the coming days.
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