The Government discussed the situation in the Middle East and the safety of Estonian citizens

“From a practical standpoint, the priority at the moment is to ensure that our citizens receive the necessary information and are able to return safely to Estonia,” emphasised Prime Minister Kristen Michal. “Estonia is already in contact with its citizens, sharing information and ensuring round-the-clock communication and counselling via the emergency hotline. Our diplomats are in close contact both with the countries in the region and with our European Union colleagues, who are facing the same issues in assisting their own citizens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received a mandate from the Government to take all necessary organisational steps to help our people return safely home from the affected area,” he said.

“The position of Estonia is clear: Iran must not possess nuclear weapons. We support the steps taken by the United States and Israel to reduce the threat and stand in solidarity with the Gulf states that have come under unjustified attacks by Iran,” Michal noted. “The weakening of the regime is shifting the balance of power across the region, and together with our allies, our objective is to ensure that this leads to greater stability and creates a new opportunity for the people of Iran,” he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna confirmed that Estonia is closely monitoring developments. “Estonia condemns the unjustified attacks by Iran against the countries in the Middle East region and expresses its solidarity with the states that have come under attack,” he said. “Israel and the United States have demonstrated that they are prepared to stand up to regimes that threaten regional and global security,” he said. “We support the preparedness of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to defend their own interests and those of their allies in the region, including taking the necessary steps to destroy the missile and drone launch capabilities of Iran, as well as the cooperation with the United States and other allies on this matter.”

On the morning of 28 February, Israel and the United States launched military operations against Iran, focusing on missile and nuclear facilities, as well as Iranian government institutions. Iran responded with attacks against Israeli and U.S. military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Jordan. “This constitutes a clear violation of the sovereignty of these states, which must cease immediately. Estonia supports the right of these countries to defend themselves and to respond to the attacks by Iran,” Tsahkna said. “During the attacks, Iran has also damaged civilian infrastructure and endangered civilians.”

Several Middle Eastern countries have closed their airports and airspace.


Estonian citizens in the region

The Government also received an overview of the situation of Estonian citizens in the region. According to current information, approximately 3,000 Estonian citizens are in the Middle East on short-term stays, more than 1,500 of them in the United Arab Emirates.

To date, no Estonian citizens are known to have been injured in Iranian attacks, however, a high-rise complex in Abu Dhabi that houses the Estonian Embassy was struck.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains in constant contact with Estonian citizens in the region, the embassies of Estonia, and European Union partners. “We are not acting alone. Yesterday, EU foreign ministers held an extraordinary video meeting to discuss the developments in the Middle East and the situation of EU citizens,” Tsahkna added.

The Government will, soon, discuss issues related to the presence and departure of Estonian citizens in the region.


We would like to ask all Estonian citizens who are in the Middle East region to register their short-term stay on the travel advice website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://reisitargalt.vm.ee/registreeri-reis/

If necessary, you may contact us at [email protected] or call the 24-hour emergency hotline at +372 5301 9999 for further information.

We will continuously update information on the Web Consul page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on the official website of the Ministry at www.vm.ee.

Relevant information is also compiled on the crisis information page of the Government Office: https://kriis.ee/lahis-ida-kriisiblogi