The Ministry of Internal Affairs has confirmed the successful evacuation of 42 Ugandan nationals including two diplomatic staff from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Turkey following the outbreak of armed conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel that broke out on June 13, 2025.
The Uganda Embassy in Tehran, working in coordination Ankara and Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Kampala, spearheaded the emergency evacuation exercise.
The operation is being led by Ambassador Matata Twaha, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the Uganda Embassy in Tehran, alongside Minister Counsellor Oscar J. Edule and Financial Attaché Agaba Mark. The trio continues to oversee the ongoing evacuations to ensure the safety and repatriation of all Ugandans stranded in Iran.
According to the Ministry, the evacuations were managed by the Embassy having set up an emergency evacuation coordination centre in neighbouring Turkey where, in cooperation with the Embassy in Ankara and guidance from Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters.
‘’This centre will continue to operate until all Ugandans in the Islamic Republic of Iran are repatriated to Uganda. The evacuated nationals were received at the Bargarzan border by Mr. Julius Malinga, Second Secretary, Ms. Zainah Nabirye, Uganda Embassy in Tehran and Mr. Mubarak Daka from the Uganda Embassy in Ankara on Wednesday, 18th June 2025. ‘’ read the statement.
The 42 evacuees were received at the Bargarzan border on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, by embassy officials Mr. Julius Malinga and Ms. Zainah Nabirye from Tehran, and Mr. Mubarak Daka from Ankara. They are currently being transferred to Istanbul, from where they are expected to fly back to Uganda aboard a commercial chartered flight.
Registration and coordination efforts continue to be undertaken for other Ugandan nationals still inside Iran, with the aim of safely guiding, supporting, and ensuring their safe exit and return to Uganda.
The Ministry has urged the relatives and anyone with information on Ugandans still trapped in the Islamic Republic of Iran to reach out to the officers in charge whose contact details have been provided.
