10 hours ago
Oman brings home over 1,300 citizens and expats
Oman has evacuated over 1,188 citizens and 281 other nationals from Iran and its neighbouring countries as part of its humanitarian assistance. On Saturday, 294 Omani citizens landed at Muscat International Airport via Türkiye, along with people from other countries, during the fifth phase of evacuation.
The Foreign Ministry thanked all officials, especially those from Türkiye, who contributed to the smooth transfer of people.
Speaking to the Observer, Ahmed al Hooti, a journalist with Al Jazeera who was in the fourth phase of evacuation, said that there were hundreds of Omanis in Iranian cities who were tourists, students, medical patients, pilgrims and the efforts of Oman's Foreign Ministry and its embassies in safeguarding the citizens as well as other nationals were laudable.
'The Oman embassy in Iran reached out to Omanis scattered across the country and asked to share their details through social media. They were advised to be prepared to move to the northern side of Iran and everyone did the same. Some were in Mashhad and they continued to stay there only till they got the information on where to move. After 3 days, hundreds of Omanis left Tehran to other cities where the embassy officials were doing documentation and preparation to leave the country through land borders,' said Al Hooti.
'There were no flights hence some people used cars and people like me used taxis. Others used buses which were all arranged by the embassy. The embassy in Tehran did a wonderful job in moving all Omanis to safe places and later they were transferred from borders where they were able to get flights. Also the Omani embassy in Baghdad too did a great job in supporting the stranded Omanis.'
Mohammed Rafiq, Mohammed Shafiq, Nourin and Sophia, from India's Kerala state, who had arrived in Iran on a tourist visa, arrived at the Muscat International Airport from Iran via Basra, Iraq on Thursday. The group returned to Oman after receiving Iraqi visas following high-level intervention from the Oman government.
"We could see huge columns of smoke and fire billowing out of buildings nearby where we were staying. People were being evacuated from everywhere. When we contacted the Indian Embassy in Iran, the result was disappointing as they told us to follow online updates and to contact them after the weekend," Rafiq said.
"However, the Omanis who were with us took us to the Oman Embassy in Tehran. Although they were not bound to board us, the kind-hearted officials as well as the co-passengers succeeded in accepting us as their own citizens. We were given temporary accommodation."
Rafiq said that the Omani authorities provided them with temporary facilities until Friday and Saturday; and then asked to approach the Indian Embassy.
"We contacted the Indian Embassy, but the response from there was not as expected. Thanks to an Omani citizen who was with us, the authorities again arranged travel facilities for us. With this, we were taken along with the Omanis to Basra in Iraq via Bandar Abbas."
The expat family said that they are deeply grateful to the Omanis and the officials of Oman who intervened in their case. — ONA
