Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 158 Tunisian pilgrims who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia have safely returned home amid the current tensions in the Middle East and Gulf region. According to Salah Salhi, Director General of Migration and Tunisians Abroad, only 14 pilgrims remain in Saudi Arabia and are expected to return the same day on a Saudi Airlines flight heading to Algeria.
Salhi also confirmed that 13 Tunisian citizens were evacuated from Tehran by land through Turkey. They were transported to the Turkish border and then to Istanbul before returning to Tunisia on Sunday.
Regarding Tunisians stranded in Doha, around 100 passengers were in transit from different countries when flights were disrupted. Qatari authorities and Qatar Airways have provided accommodation and meals for them until air travel resumes.
Among those currently in Doha are 31 Tunisian students studying in Jordan. Tunisian authorities have contacted their universities, which agreed to postpone exams due to the exceptional circumstances.
The ministry also reported receiving 106 requests from Tunisians seeking to return home via land routes through Saudi Arabia. Procedures differ depending on whether travelers are residents or non-residents of the kingdom.
Officials said the ministry is working with national institutions to prepare contingency plans in case evacuations of Tunisian nationals from certain countries become necessary. Tunisian embassies and consulates in the region are also preparing local emergency plans.
A crisis unit has been established at the ministry’s headquarters as well as at diplomatic missions across the region to monitor developments and coordinate assistance. Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti recently held a remote meeting with heads of diplomatic missions to assess readiness and update emergency strategies.
The ministry urged Tunisians living in the region to register with their nearest embassy or consulate and update their contact information to ensure faster assistance if needed.
Approximately 150,000 Tunisians live in Gulf countries, including around 65,000 in Qatar, 35,000 in Saudi Arabia, and more than 30,000 in the United Arab Emirates, along with smaller communities in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Iran.
