17 Malaysians evacuated from Iran return home

SEPANG: Seventeen Malaysians were safely brought home on Sunday (June 22) from the conflict-hit Iran.

They were part of a larger group of 24 individuals that included six Iranians with close family ties to Malaysian citizens and one Singaporean national.

The evacuees touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 at 11.03pm yesterday via Malaysia Airlines flight MH781 from Bangkok, Thailand.

Foreign Ministry deputy secretary-general (Bilateral Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani was present at the arrival hall to welcome the returnees.

Leading the group was Malaysia’s Ambassador to Iran, Khairi Omar, who described the evacuation as “challenging but successful” amid mounting security concerns in the region.

“We took a route far from the western frontlines, moving eastward out of Tehran by road,” Khairi told reporters shortly after arrival.

“It was a long trip — over 24 hours on the road — and we even had to spend a night at the border.”

The evacuation, coordinated by the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran, saw the group endure a gruelling journey of more than 1,000km across Iran to reach the Turkmenistan border.

“Thanks to the close cooperation of the Turkmenistan government, we were allowed entry and proceeded directly to Ashgabat airport for a connecting flight,” he said.

The evacuees then transited in Bangkok before arriving in Malaysia.

While the latest group of evacuees is now safe, the ambassador confirmed that an estimated 12 Malaysians are still in Iran, most of whom are students or individuals married to Iranians.

Khairi assured that all remaining Malaysians are accounted for and currently safe.

“We’re doing our best to track their movements. Some have relocated from their usual places due to safety concerns, but we’re maintaining communication as much as possible,” he said.