‘No other option’: desperate plea from stranded Aussies

The Australians trapped in Iran, in the midst of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, said that the advice of escaping by crossing international borders is not possible for those who are most vulnerable.

Efforts to take Australians home from the region have become complex due to border restrictions and flight road closing.

Perth engineer Vahid, his sister Azam and his parents Ezat 70 and 86 -year -old Hossein traveled to Iran in June 2024, so that his father’s permanent residence application before returning to Australia, he said.

However, the family was trapped after the borders were closed after the airports were closed and the war was broken.

Worse, his parents’ visas expired and made the return even more difficult.

“My father cannot travel to the Azerbaijani border or Türkiye by car to go to the Australian Consulate because my father is 86 years old and the consulate in Tehran is closed.”

The only recommendation provided was to pass the limit to Azerbaijan or to shelter.

Azam, Ezat and Hossein’s journey would take at least 12 hours by car.

Vahid, who wants his surname not to be used, said, “There is no other option other than going through the border.” He said.

“This solution is not possible for them – for people like my family of that age – it is not possible for them to travel long distances.”

Under a tremendous stress, the family is afraid that the “fragile” ceasefire may be shattered, and because of Hossein’s age, he cannot escape a safer place than the capital Tehran.

Vahid, “I have a lot of stress, maybe I get twice the stress, because I can see the situation and I have no choice to help them.” He said.

Authorities called on the authorities to help their parents to publish new visas and to help her sister, who was an Australian citizen, to her son in Sydney, and said that the situation was “out of their hands.”

Approximately 3200 Australian Foreign Ministry who wanted to leave Iran was enrolled in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mohammad Bahar, the president of the Western Australia, said that the people he talked about were satisfied with the advice and that the government felt that he never “forget them”.

DFAT said that Australians support safe seats on commercial flights that have started to continue from Iran.

Australians can leave Iran by using the border crossings to Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Armenia or Turkmenistan, the Smartraveller website cannot monitor local developments and add local advice or not.

When Israel started attacks on Iranian military and nuclear areas, the ceasefire was reached after a 12 -day war.

The attack triggered retaliation strike waves before intervening to end the increasing violence.