Australian FM says 115,000 citizens stranded in Middle East

Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong on Monday revealed that an estimated 115,000 Australians are currently in the Middle East, as sweeping flight cancellations triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue to disrupt travel across the region.

Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Wong said the federal government is closely monitoring developments and awaiting clarity on the resumption of commercial air services before committing to government-led repatriation flights for stranded citizens.

“Given the number of people in the region, people will get home most quickly if we can facilitate people getting on commercial flights at the moment,” she said, signalling a preference for restoring normal travel routes over immediate evacuation operations.

Earlier in the day, Wong issued an updated travel advisory urging Australians not to travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. She also advised travellers to reconsider plans to visit Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia, citing the rapidly evolving security landscape.

Australians already in the Middle East have been asked to remain vigilant — closely tracking local developments and media reports, confirming travel arrangements directly with airlines or agents, reviewing insurance coverage, and staying connected with official updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In response to the unfolding crisis, DFAT has activated its Crisis Centre to coordinate consular support and provide assistance to citizens navigating uncertainty in the region.

Meanwhile, deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles confirmed that the government has taken precautionary measures to safeguard approximately 100 Australian Defence Force personnel stationed in the Middle East.

With tensions simmering and airspace disruptions persisting, Canberra continues to weigh its options carefully, balancing the logistical realities of mass travel disruptions with the safety and swift return of its citizens.

With IANS inputs