The Federal Government has said it is taking steps to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Iran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said approximately 1,000 Nigerians in Iran were affected by the crisis, with students forming the majority.

Ebienfa disclosed that the ministry hosted an “inter-ministerial meeting” on Friday to fine-tune preparations for an evacuation plan through Armenia.

“The Federal Government is making efforts to rescue Nigerians in Iran. There are approximately 1,000 Nigerian nationals in Iran affected by the crisis, and most of them are students,” he said.

The government’s move follows coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran last Saturday.

The US and Israel described the attacks as pre-emptive, with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, reportedly killed on the first day of the strikes that targeted Iranian military infrastructure and leadership facilities, including sites linked to the country’s nuclear and missile programmes.

In retaliation, Iranian forces targeted US military bases and installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, triggering air-defence alerts, temporary airspace closures, and reports of civilian casualties.

Explosions, strikes, and airspace disruptions have affected Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, and Israel.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government announced the immediate suspension of all pilgrimages to Israel due to the worsening security situation.

Last week, the Federal Government also issued a travel advisory for citizens residing in or visiting Iran and neighbouring Gulf states, urging them to exercise caution, limit non-essential movement, and comply with local safety directives.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was in constant contact with Nigerian missions in Gulf countries and was coordinating with international partners to safeguard citizens abroad.

The Embassy of Nigeria in Kuwait, which has concurrent accreditation to Bahrain, issued a circular on Sunday urging Nigerian nationals in both countries to remain vigilant and adhere strictly to safety advisories.