Foreign Minister says group refuses evacuation despite rising US-Iran tensions and govt advisories.

PETALING JAYA: A total of 13 Malaysians remain in Iran despite repeated government calls for them to return home, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said Wisma Putra had issued multiple advisories and offered assistance but the group chose to stay.

“Overall, the number of Malaysians in Iran is small. There are 13 people, including several students. We have advised them two to three times to return.

“Some of them do not want to come back. So the 13 are still in Iran as of now.

“We have asked them to sign indemnity letters that they cannot blame the government because we want to bring them home but they refuse to return of their own choice,” he said.

The matter was raised by Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor (PN-Ketereh) who sought details on Malaysia’s evacuation planning and the number of citizens still in Iran and other potentially affected countries.

In reply to Khlir’s question on Wisma Putra’s assessment of the escalating United States-Iran tensions, Mohamad said the ministry is closely monitoring developments, warning that any miscalculation could trigger wider conflict.

He pointed to the increased US military build-up in the Persian Gulf and cautioned that any disruptuion to the Strait of Hormuz could choke global oil and gas supplies, with direct and indirect economic repercussions for Malaysia.

Mohamad also reiterated Putrajaya’s warning against non-essential travel to Iran.

“We have issued travel advisories twice advising Malaysians not to go there unless absolutely necessary.

“But Malaysians can be ‘degil-degil’ (stubborn), some still go… Do not travel there because in the current situation anything could happen and it will complicate matters for us,” he said.

He said Malaysia had already taken precautionary steps involving its diplomatic presence in Tehran, Iran.

“Wisma Putra instructed that the families of our embassy staff in Tehran be brought home. A total of 11 family members returned on Jan 18.

“Those remaining were officers and the ambassador. On Feb 2, we recalled five officers including the ambassador for consultations,” he said.

Recalling last year’s contigency response, Mohamad said Malaysia previously executed an evacuation involving a lengthy land route.

“They had to travel more than 1,200km by land from Tehran to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. We requested our counterpart there to grant visa exemptions.

“We also assisted Brunei and Singapore nationals as Asean chair at the time before they transited in Dubai and returned to Malaysia,” he said.

 The Sun Malaysia