Papua New Guinea nationals living and working in the Middle East are yet to be identified before assistance is sought from the Australian government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Foreign Affairs Secretary Elias Wohengu said given the dire situation, it was important for relatives and friends of PNG citizens stranded in the Middle East to contact the department through its state protocol and consular division.
“Many governments are unable to carry out any eviction exercise at this point as all land borders and air space are closed, restricting the movement of people in and out of the Middle East,” he said.
“Evacuation itself would be a security risk under the present war scenario.”
Many PNG nationals travelling to the Middle East make their own arrangements and do not usually inform the embassy.
Wohengu said both the Australian government and the UAE were offering assistance to Papua New Guineans.
On Saturday, Israel and the United States launched air strikes on selected targets across Iran, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his immediate family.
Iran and its allies struck back targeting areas in the Middle East which are critical to the production of oil and natural gas, thus cutting off air and sea travel.
Foreign Affairs also said that the PNG embassy in Jerusalem would remain closed until the situation improved and it was safe to reopen.
Wohengu said given the situation, governments of the region had told service providers to accommodate stranded third-country nationals, including PNG citizens.
