INVC NEWS
Middle East – : Southeast Asian nations are mobilizing urgent evacuations of their citizens from Iran and Israel amid intensifying conflict in the Middle East. Some governments are also openly condemning Israel’s recent airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.
Malaysia announced on June 18 that its citizens in Iran will be evacuated via Turkmenistan by Friday. Government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said the evacuees include embassy staff, tourists, and students. Indonesia’s embassy in Tehran also confirmed immediate evacuation plans for its 386 nationals in Iran, most of whom are students in the religious city of Qom.
Vietnam reported that 18 of its citizens were relocated to Azerbaijan earlier this week, with 16 of them already back in Vietnam. The Philippines is coordinating with agencies to safely extract over 30,000 citizens from Israel and more than 1,100 from Iran. At least 100 Filipinos have requested evacuation, and eight were injured in recent missile strikes.
Thailand has placed military aircraft on standby. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said roughly 40,000 Thai nationals live in Israel and 300 in Iran, prompting preparations for immediate airlifts.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel alert, urging citizens in Iran to exit the country as soon as possible, citing limited consular capacity. The ministry also advised against all travel to Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank.
Tensions soared after Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on June 13 targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military leadership, and ballistic missile sites. Iran has retaliated, killing 24 people in Israel with missile barrages. The conflict has drawn international concern, with U.S. President Donald Trump declining to confirm whether America would join Israel’s offensive.
Southeast Asian Leaders Condemn Israel, Support Iran’s Sovereignty
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sharply criticized Israel on June 19, calling its airstrikes a “blatant violation of international law” carried out with “utter impunity.” Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, he urged powerful nations to “act decisively” to prevent further escalation.
Earlier, Malaysia’s foreign ministry condemned Israel’s attacks as a “flagrant violation of the UN Charter” and a threat to global peace.
Indonesia also intensified its response. President Prabowo Subianto, during a visit to Singapore, called for an “immediate ceasefire” and a diplomatic resolution. On June 19, Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat declared Israel’s actions a breach of Iran’s sovereignty and a “clear violation of international law.”
He also warned against military strikes on nuclear facilities, citing environmental and human safety concerns.
