Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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The Azerbaijani government actively assisted in the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran, helping more than 600 people cross the border through the Astara Border Crossing, China’s ambassador to Azerbaijan said.

AzerNEWS reports that Lu Mei, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Azerbaijan, made the remarks during a briefing in Baku.

“This once again demonstrated the high level of political trust and mutual understanding between our countries,” the ambassador noted.

Lu Mei emphasised that the Chinese side highly appreciates the assistance provided by Azerbaijan during the evacuation process.

“Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for the support and help extended,” the ambassador added.

The latest conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has become one of the most serious security crises in the Middle East in recent years. The escalation began on 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes against Iranian military and nuclear-related facilities. The attacks targeted key infrastructure and senior figures within Iran’s security apparatus, marking a dramatic breakdown of earlier diplomatic efforts to contain Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drones against Israeli territory and against American military bases located across the Gulf region. Several Gulf states hosting U.S. forces, such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, experienced attacks or air defence alerts, while energy facilities and airports faced disruption. Airspace closures and flight cancellations spread across the region, affecting trade and global energy markets.

The conflict quickly created widespread instability across the Middle East. Shipping and aviation routes were disrupted, and many governments began emergency evacuations of citizens and diplomatic staff. Several countries temporarily closed embassies or reduced diplomatic operations, while others ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from diplomatic missions across the region.

In particular, some embassies in Gulf countries and neighbouring states were temporarily shut down or operated with minimal staff due to security threats. Governments, including the United States and several European countries, also organised evacuation flights and advised their citizens to leave high-risk areas.

Overall, the confrontation has significantly heightened tensions across the Middle East. While the fighting remains primarily centred on Iran and Israeli-linked targets, the involvement of Gulf states, military bases and diplomatic missions demonstrates the risk that the conflict could evolve into a broader regional crisis affecting global energy security and international trade.