Jakarta. Indonesia has more than half a million citizens living in the Middle East, many working, studying, or residing in the region through family ties, according to data from the Foreign Ministry.

The government is closely monitoring their safety as tensions escalate following military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.

Foreign Ministry officials said protecting the roughly 519,000 Indonesians in the region is currently a top priority. Most Indonesians are based in Saudi Arabia, while only 329 Indonesian citizens are recorded as living in Iran.

Foreign Ministry's Asia Pacific and Africa Director-General Santo Darmosumarto said the government is coordinating with Indonesian diplomatic missions across the region to ensure the safety of citizens.

“When we hear the number of Indonesian citizens in the Middle East, people may immediately think about evacuation,” Santo said in Jakarta on Friday.

“But it is important to note that governments in Middle Eastern countries are not recommending evacuation at this time,” he added.

According to monitoring by Indonesian embassies and consulates across the region, local governments have advised residents — both nationals and foreigners — to remain calm and stay in their homes.

“Governments in those countries are asking residents to stay where they are and remain calm,” Santo said.

“Our monitoring with heads of Indonesian missions indicates that this message has been consistently conveyed to both local citizens and foreign nationals.”

He added that authorities in the region have been proactive in communicating safety guidance to foreign residents and ensuring their basic needs are met during the current tensions.

Evacuation Begins from Iran
While most Indonesians in the Middle East are advised to remain in place, the government has begun evacuating Indonesian citizens from Iran, where airstrikes remain a concern.

The first evacuation group of 32 Indonesians departed on Friday.

The evacuation route will take them by land from Tehran to Azerbaijan, where they will board flights back to Indonesia, officials said.

Add as a preferred source on Google +