Filipino diplomats to stay in Iran amid rising tensions
RISING TENSIONS. Rockets fired from southern Lebanon are intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system over the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel, on Sunday amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Lebanon’s Hezbollah fighters. Middle East tensions soared Saturday as Iran and its allies readied their response to the assassination of Hamas’s political leader, blamed on Israel, spurring fears of a regional war.
Photo courtesy of AFP
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Saturday that all Filipino diplomats at the Philippine Embassy in Tehran will stay in Iran to monitor the situation and assist in the evacuation of Filipinos affected by the conflict.
During a Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega said there were initial plans to include some non-essential embassy staff in the first batch of Filipinos set to evacuate amid the Israel-Iran conflict.
Currently, the Philippine Embassy in Tehran has nine diplomats, including Ambassador Robert Manalo.
De Vega quoted Manalo as saying the mission cannot withdraw “even one” staff member, as all are essential for maintaining embassy operations.
“They can’t pull out anyone. They will send home their wives and dependents, who can leave anytime,” he said.
“Right now, they remain at the embassy. This is what we signed up for,” he added.
The embassy earlier said it is exploring ways to evacuate Filipinos from Iran, including land routes through neighboring countries like Turkmenistan.
There are roughly 1,200 Filipinos living and working in Iran who are married to Iranian citizens, with only a dozen or so employed as workers.
Meanwhile, DFA Assistant Secretary Robert Ferrer said nine Filipinos have requested repatriation.
“We are considering all safe border exits from Iran. Tehran is now almost like a ghost town. Many have left, including Filipinos,” Ferrer said in mixed Filipino and English.
“Those still in Tehran are mainly embassy staff, so the mission remains open,” he added.
He also noted that the Philippine Embassy is one of the few foreign posts still operating in the Iranian capital.
Ferrer said the DFA is awaiting instructions and will announce evacuation plans for diplomats’ dependents once finalized.
“It’s still in the planning stage, but we will announce once the plan is secure. No diplomats will be sent home; all staff are essential, according to Ambassador Robert,” he explained.
Alert Level 3, or voluntary repatriation, was previously raised in both Israel and Iran.
Ferrer said the Philippine Embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran have not yet recommended upgrading to mandatory repatriation.
“There’s a lot of misinformation in Manila, not Tel Aviv. Most Filipinos in Tel Aviv are calm and trust the Israeli system to protect them,” he said.
So far, only 191 of over 30,000 Filipinos in Israel have requested repatriation, with the first 26 evacuees scheduled to return to the Philippines next week.