Islamabad, June 15, 2025: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed the successful evacuation of 450 Pakistani pilgrims from Iran amid escalating regional tensions. The government, he said, is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Pakistani nationals in affected areas.
In a statement issued on Sunday via his official account on X (formerly Twitter), Dar announced that the evacuation operation was completed on Saturday. He further shared that arrangements are underway for the safe evacuation of the first batch of 154 Pakistani students currently stranded in Iran.
Dar also addressed the situation of Pakistani citizens in Iraq, where the closure of airspace has left many Zaireen stranded. “Our embassy in Iraq is in contact with Pakistani Zaireen. Efforts are ongoing to ensure their safe accommodation and explore evacuation options,” he stated.
To support ongoing efforts, a 24-hour Crisis Management Unit (CMU) has been activated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The CMU can be reached at +92 51-9207887 or via email at cmu1@mofa.gov.pk. Dar emphasized that Pakistan’s embassies in the region are actively coordinating relief and evacuation efforts.
The evacuation comes in the wake of a major escalation between Iran and Israel. In the early hours of Friday, Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iranian territory, targeting nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military sites. Israel claimed the operation was aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
According to Iranian sources, 78 people, including six prominent nuclear scientists and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed. The semi-official Tasnim News Agency identified the scientists as Abdulhamid Minouchehr, Ahmadreza Zolfaghari, Seyyed Amirhossein Faqhi, Motablizadeh, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and Fereydoun Abbasi.
In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missile strikes on central Israel, killing three people and injuring at least 91. In Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, nine buildings were destroyed, hundreds of apartments damaged, and approximately 400 residents evacuated, according to Haaretz. Visuals from the scene showed widespread devastation, with vehicles set ablaze and residential blocks reduced to rubble.
The situation continues to unfold, with global powers calling for de-escalation amid growing fears of a broader regional conflict.
