Vietnam safeguards 38 citizens in Iran amid escalating conflict

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday afternoon, Ambassador Ngoc provided updates on the situation and ongoing efforts to protect Vietnamese nationals in Iran.

He said that when Tehran came under air attacks on the morning of February 28, some areas descended into chaos and traffic congestion gripped several major cities.

About two hours after the conflict began, Internet services were widely disrupted, although regular phone calls and SMS messages remained available.

Later that afternoon, some shops and supermarkets shut down.

There were no signs of panic buying or food stockpiling, but long lines stretching hundreds of meters formed at many gas stations, and cash became scarce in some areas.

Public sentiment has since begun to stabilize and anxiety has eased, the ambassador noted.

He said there are currently 38 Vietnamese citizens in Iran, of whom 13 have settled in the country, three are working or studying there, and the remainder are staff of the Vietnamese embassy and their family members.

All Vietnamese nationals have remained safe and calm since the airstrikes on Iran began on February 28.

No Vietnamese tourists have been reported stranded.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has closely directed citizen protection efforts from an early stage.

As early as mid-January, detailed contingency plans were drawn up and necessary resources prepared.

All embassy staff and their families, except for Ambassador Ngoc and several officials, were evacuated on the morning of February 26 to a small town in northern Iran, about 400 kilometers from Tehran near the Caspian Sea.

The area is relatively remote and does not host sensitive facilities that could be targeted.

It has remained quiet and safe so far.

Three Vietnamese citizens temporarily residing about 200 kilometers from Tehran are now urgently relocating to the same area.

Of the 13 Vietnamese residents who have settled in Iran, nine live far from conflict zones and have been contacted by embassy officials.

The remaining four are staying in Tehran with their Iranian husbands and families.

The embassy has urged them to leave the capital for safer areas as soon as possible or seek temporary shelter at the mission if necessary.

Ambassador Ngoc and several officials remain at the embassy headquarters to monitor developments and stand ready to implement citizen protection measures at any time.

They have maintained regular contact with citizens, providing guidance on travel routes, exit procedures and visa applications to third countries if required.

The embassy has urged any Vietnamese citizens in Iran who have not yet made contact to do so promptly for guidance.

The citizen protection hotlines of the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran are +989339658252 for direct calls and +989334609074 via WhatsApp or Viber.

The Consular Department under the foreign ministry can be reached at +84981848484 or +8496541118.