KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have been advised against travelling to Iran as tensions rise between the country and the United States.
All officers from the Malaysian Embassy in Teheran and their families have also been brought back to Malaysia, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) said.
However, he said 13 Malaysians – two to three of them students – have refused to return.
“We advised them to return a number of times, including when the US struck the nuclear sites last year, but they refused to return,” Mohamad said during Ministers’ Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
“We have asked them to sign a letter of indemnity so they cannot blame the government if anything happens.”
Mohamad said although Wisma Putra had twice issued travel advisories, some Malaysians still travelled to the country.
“They are stubborn. Some have recently travelled there (despite the warning) but they had to cut their trip short from one week to two days.”
Recounting previous evacuation operations when Iranian nuclear sites were bombed, he said Malaysian citizens had to travel more than 1,000km over land to get to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
“I requested my counterpart in Turkmenistan to provide a visa exemption for Malaysians, Singaporeans and Bruneians for the evacuation. We were the Asean chair then. They stayed in Ashgabat for a day and were brought to Dubai before coming home,” he said.
“So do not go to Iran. If it is a pressing matter, please meet in neighbouring countries like Qatar or UAE.”
He was responding to a supplementary question by Ketereh MP Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor on evacuation plans and the number of Malaysians who are still there.
Mohamad said Malaysia would be affected if a full-blown war breaks out.
“It will cause a huge impact not only on Iran but the Middle East and the world, especially Malaysia.
“If there is a war there, the Persian Gulf and the Hormuz Straits will be closed. The world’s energy supplies will be disrupted.
“This will affect the supply of oil and gas and the prices of commodities will skyrocket,” Mohamad said, adding that food and mineral supplies will be affected.
Iran is the world’s second largest producer of oil.
“We are worried because the US is serious in increasing its military might. We hope both parties will continue negotiations and hope the conflict can be overcome,” he said.
Teheran and Washington officials are meeting in Geneva for a third round of indirect talks.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.
