News
Iran-Israel war: Govt. ready with plan to evacuate Lankans
View(s):By Damith Wickremasekara
The Government has put in place an emergency evacuation plan for Sri Lankans resident in Israel if the need arises to evacuate them, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times.
Several SriLankan Airlines flights have been put on standby for any such eventuality,
he said. Under the plans, Sri Lankans will be evacuated via Jordan and Egypt.
Sri Lanka has made a formal request from India to help evacuate Sri Lankan nationals in Iran, and the two countries are coordinating on the issue, he said.
The moves came as Sri Lanka has begun to feel the impact of the conflict, with tea exports to Iran already affected.
The Indian High Commission said yesterday that at the request of the governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy in Iran will include citizens from the two neighbouring nations in its evacuation efforts.
Those waiting to join the evacuation flights were required to urgently contact the Indian Embassy in Iran.
There are around 35 Sri Lankans in Iran, of whom eight are students. Some of them have been in contact with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Tehran, which was shifted to another location due to the bombing of the capital city, the ministry said.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara, said the embassy remains open to provide services to those intending to travel to Sri Lanka on all days. There are around 20,000 Lankans employed in Israel.
Export Development Board Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe told Sunday Times they would meet with the exporters next week to work out a contingency plan.
He said the main concern was tea exports to Iran, which account for 4.5 per cent of the monthly tea exports.
He said that if the conflict continues, it might have an impact on the gem and jewellery exports to Israel, while it would also affect Sri Lanka’s exports of tea, rubber, spices and textiles to the wider West Asian region.
Meanwhile, oil prices jumped almost 4% on Thursday as a week-old air war between Israel and Iran escalated, international media reported.
Brent crude futures settled up $2.15, or 2.8%, to $78.85 a barrel, its highest close since January 22.
| Emergency numbers Sri Lankans who wish to leave Iran can reach out to the Indian Embassy in Teheran, either on the Telegram Channel or over the following emergency contact: +98 901 014 4557; +98 912 810 9115; +98 912 810 9109, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said. They can also contact the Sri Lanka Embassy in Iran for assistance at the following numbers: +98 939 205 5161; +98 991 205 7522 (Sinhala/English); +98 936 636 0260. | |
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