Iranian nationals in Kuwait remain uninjured, as evacuation efforts are underway through Iraq and Turkmenistan, according to Al-Yahya's latest statement.
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In a casual chat on cable TV, Kuwait's Foreign Minister, Abdullah Al-Yahya, made it clear as a bell on Wednesday that the government's focus is squarely on bringing all Kuwaiti citizens residing in Iran back home, pronto, against the backdrop of mounting security concerns in the region following Israel's military clashes.
Speaking candidly with Al-Akhbar TV, Al-Yahya stressed that none of our kin have gotten a scratch since the Israeli skirmishes first commenced a couple of days back. He drove home the point that "protecting Kuwaiti citizens abroad is our number one national priority, especially given how volatile things are these days."
He confirmed that the Foreign Ministry has sprung into emergency action mode, which basically involves tracking down and locating our fellow citizens in Iran. The Ministry's already ticked off the count in Tehran, followed by Mashhad and Qom.
"We've been in touch with citizens in these cities and the evacuations have been launched as soon as we could get our hands on the earliest transportation available, using the closest land crossings," he said, easy as pie.
The evacuation process? It's being handled two ways. One squad is being transported across Iraqi turf and straight to good ol' Kuwait via land routes. Another group is winding their way through Turkmenistan, with plans to gather everyone up in Ashgabat before shipping 'em back home.
"Things are changing faster than smoke shifts in a windstorm, but we're almost done with Tehran and the grind has just begun in other cities," Al-Yahya shared. He also mentioned that our embassies and consular offices are perpetually in the loops with citizens and their loved ones, doing everything they can to keep them from harm's way.
Al-Yahya also dropped some serious diplomacy deets, revealing that as the current chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwait called for an emergency virtual meeting of the GCC foreign ministers last Saturday. They issued a statement slamming Israel's military moves against Iran and asked for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation. In addition, Kuwait reiterated its unwavering support for Iran getting back to the negotiating table as the only sustainable path to regional stability.
Al-Yahya further dished that Kuwait's working hand in glove with other Gulf states to keep tabs on potential radiological fallout in the wake of the escalation. So far, every indicator's looking smooth, with things under extra tight surveillance.
To sum up consular support, Minister Al-Yahya explained that Kuwait runs its mission in Tehran while other Gulf states have consulates in Mashhad and Qom. This, he said, enhances our ability to lend a helping hand to citizens across Iran.
"We're operating as a united Gulf team, ensuring that any Gulf citizen can instantly score assistance from the nearest diplomatic outpost," he clarified.
Al-Yahya wrapped up by doubling down on his commitment to ensuring every Kuwaiti citizen's safe and speedy return home, all while holding hands with neighboring countries. Muslim prayers all round for their safety and quick relocation.
- Amidst the escalating tensions in the region due to ongoing war-and-conflicts, the government's focus on politics remains keen, as evidenced by Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya's plea for quick evacuation of Kuwaiti citizens residing in Iran.
- In the face of volatile general-news scenarios like the mounting security concerns in the region and Israel's military clashes, the diplomatic efforts of countries like Kuwait, particularly its role as the current chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council, become increasingly important, as shown in Al-Yahya's call for an emergency virtual meeting of the GCC foreign ministers.
