The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that because of an Iranian law, the government will have a hard time helping Filipinos in Iran if its war with Israel escalates.

Speaking on the Bagong Pilipinas program on PTV 4 on Friday, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said there are approximately 2,000 Filipinos living in Iran, some of whom are married to Iranians.

“So, obviously, the Iranian government has a bigger responsibility to them. We are monitoring and waiting for the final report,” De Vega said in Filipino.

According to the Civil Law of the Islamic Republic, marriages between foreign nationals and Iranian citizens are legal, but require registration.

A foreign man married to an Iranian woman will not automatically become an Iranian citizen, as children born from such marriages in Iran, or born within a year of the law’s ratification, can apply for Iranian citizenship when they turn 18, provided they meet certain conditions.

De Vega said they are checking if the residences of the Filipinos and their Iranian families are located in military camps, which are the targets of the Israeli air strikes.

What is worrying the Philippine government, De Vega said, is when Iran strikes back at Israel where around 50,000 Filipinos will be in great peril.

“Israel is targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities; the problem is Iran will strike back and there are at least 50,000 Filipino citizens in Israel, although they have the Iron Dome there,” he said.

The DFA is also monitoring if Iraq will join the fray.

“There are only a few Filipinos in Iraq, less than 2,000, as we have stopped sending OFWs there. But our officials are assessing our next move. Our officials are always looking for ways to help them, either by giving them tickets for repatriation or providing shelters if the war escalates,” De Vega said.

He said that unlike what is happening in Gaza where civilians have become collateral damage, the Israeli air strikes are targeting military bases.

“When it comes to Israel, Filipinos there are not inclined to go home even amid the war between Palestine and Israel because they feel protected as every building has a bomb shelter,” De Vega said.