Russia thanks Azerbaijan for helping evacuate its citizens from Iran

The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed its gratitude to Azerbaijan for assisting in the evacuation of Russian citizens who were in Iran during the Israeli military strikes.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement highlighting the urgency of the situation following Israel’s attack on Iran, which led to widespread airspace closures and flight cancellations across the region, Caliber.Az reports.

"In light of the escalation of the situation as a result of Israel's military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the closure of airspace in most countries in the region and the cancellation of flights, the issue of rescuing Russian citizens there became acute," the statement read.

Russian diplomatic missions acted swiftly, and "on the night of June 14, 2025, with the participation of the Russian Embassy in Iran and the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, the first group of 86 people (including two children) crossed the land section of the state border between Iran and Azerbaijan through the Astara Multilateral Automobile Checkpoint (MAAP)," the ministry said.

This group included the film crew of prominent Russian director Fyodor Bondarchuk. In addition to Russian nationals, it also comprised citizens of Belarus, Latvia, Serbia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

"We express our gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for their support in providing transport from the Azerbaijani-Iranian border to Baku, accommodating the group in a hotel and assisting in the return of our citizens to their homeland," the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova