Nearly 3,000 Estonian citizens are located in the Middle East, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following a coordinated attack by the United States and Israel targeting Iran on Saturday, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes at Israel and U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. On Sunday morning, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed deceased. Currently, 12 Estonian citizens are in Israel, 1,527 are in the United Arab Emirates, 26 are in Qatar, four are in Saudi Arabia, and one is in Bahrain. “We are talking about thousands of Estonian citizens who have traveled, for example, on vacation during their children’s school break,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna stated. “We ask citizens to follow the recommendations of local authorities and the [Estonian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ channels, and in the event of danger to immediately seek shelter in the nearest building and stay away from windows, doors and open areas.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ primary task is to ensure the safety of Estonian citizens and facilitate their return home. The ministry maintains a list of citizens’ locations and is coordinating with other European countries to provide assistance if needed. “We are monitoring the escalation of the situation by the hour,” Tsahkna said. Several airports have canceled flights due to airspace closures. Citizens are advised to monitor flight information on the website of their departure airport. Topics: #israel #estonian #citizens Post navigation Finnish industrialist’s ‘Golden Age’ art collection opens at Kadriorg Art Museum The only foreign production of the drama festival comes from Germany
This is incredibly worrying news. The escalation of conflict across the Middle East and the sheer number of Estonian citizens affected is a serious concern, and I hope the Estonian government is doing everything possible to ensure their safety. Reply
The significant concentration of Estonian citizens in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE, highlights a notable level of engagement with the region’s ongoing instability. The recent escalation of conflict, including Iran’s retaliatory attacks and the subsequent death of Supreme Leader Khamenei, undoubtedly presents a complex and potentially precarious situation for these individuals, warranting continued monitoring by the Estonian MFA. Reply