6 more S. Koreans, 1 Iranian family member evacuate Iran amid escalating conflict with Israel

Six more South Koreans and an Iranian family member have safely crossed the border from Iran into neighboring Turkmenistan amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Friday.

Two South Korean nationals and an Iranian family member arrived in Ashgabat on Friday afternoon (local time), in addition to four other South Koreans who had earlier left Iran and reached the Turkmen capital via the same land route, the ministry said.

This brings the total number of South Koreans who have left Iran to 37, since the government began operations to assist those wishing to evacuate, including by providing transportation through border checkpoints.

Twenty-six South Koreans and four Iranian family members also crossed the border into Turkmenistan by transportation provided by the South Korean government earlier this week.

Escalating airstrikes between Israel and Iran have prompted countries to evacuate their nationals from the region. At least 43 South Koreans and their Israeli family members have fled Israel and taken shelter in Jordan.

An estimated 110 South Koreans were in Iran and around 500 in Israel before the conflict began last Friday.