Jakarta. The Indonesian government is facing growing calls to evacuate its citizens from Iran as the country becomes increasingly embroiled in armed conflict with Israel.

Dave Laksono, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission I overseeing foreign affairs and defense, on Monday urged the government to make the evacuation of Indonesians from Iran a top priority.

“Evacuating our citizens must be the government’s primary focus right now. We must ensure that no Indonesian nationals are caught in the middle of this war,” Dave said.

The call for swift action follows recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, which have heightened regional tensions and raised safety concerns for foreign nationals residing in Iran.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Roy Sumirat said the government has been maintaining active communication with Indonesians in Iran to monitor their condition and ensure their safety.

“As of now, there are approximately 383 Indonesian nationals residing in Iran and registered with the Indonesian Embassy in Tehran,” Roy said on Friday, just hours after the Israeli strikes.

The majority of Indonesians in Iran are students living in the city of Qom.

Roy added that the government had already developed a contingency plan for citizen protection in Iran and raised its alert status as early as July 2024.

Indonesia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, and there are no Indonesian citizens officially registered in the country.