Italy says evacuating hundreds of citizens from UAE
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Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani said a group of around 200 Italian students stranded in Dubai are due to be evacuated on March 3.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ROME – Italy said on March 2 that it was helping evacuate hundreds of citizens from the United Arab Emirates, estimating there are currently around 30,000 Italian nationals in the country.
Speaking in the Italian Senate, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said a group of 98 Italians left the UAE for Oman on March 1 and were due to arrive in Rome on March 2.
Another group of around 200 Italian students who had been stranded in Dubai are due to be evacuated on a UAE flight to Milan on March 3.
The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb 28, prompting retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Tehran against US allies in the Gulf region.
Thousands of travellers in the region have been left stranded because of airspace and airport closures, although Dubai said it would resume “limited” flights on March 2.
“We are creating corridors and networks of embassies to facilitate the movement of Italians to countries where there are flights available,” Mr Tajani said.
He added that Italy would help with charter flights to bring back thousands of Italians, who were due to transit through Dubai on their way back from the Maldives.
Mr Tajani said there were “a bit fewer than 500 Italians” currently living in Iran and plans were in place for them to be evacuated through the border with Azerbaijan if needed.
“In case the situation worsens, we are ready to organise a convoy within a few hours. On the ground, on the Azerbaijani side of the border, the bases are already ready,” he said.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told the same hearing that there were 2,500 Italian troops deployed in the Gulf region and none had been injured.
He also said Italy was considering a request from Gulf allies for help with “air defence and anti-drone protection”.
Mr Crosetto was himself stranded in Dubai, where he had been with his family on a private visit when the first strikes began on Feb 28.
He was flown out on March 1 from Oman in an Italian military plane, paying for the trip himself following criticism from opposition politicians. AFP
