The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised its travel advisories for Israel and Iran amid rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East and urged Taiwanese in Iran to leave immediately for their safety.
The travel advisory for Israel was raised to Level 3 (orange), which means Taiwanese are advised to avoid traveling there unless absolutely necessary, it said on Friday.
The ministry last year raised the alert for the Israel-Lebanon border region to Level 4 (red), the highest in its four-tier system, due to frequent cross-border hostilities following rocket exchanges and Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
The ministry also raised the alert for Iran to Level 4 on Friday, urging Taiwanese there to leave as soon as possible.
The announcement came hours after Israel launched an airstrike against Iran, targeting the Iranian nuclear program, and key government figures and nuclear scientists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified the attacks, saying that it was about Israel’s “survival” and accusing Iran of accelerating its nuclear program in recent months.
The tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Iran have effectively plunged the ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran for a possible nuclear peace deal into uncertainty.
Ministry data showed that there are about 283 Taiwanese in Israel, including its overseas personnel and their families, residents and travelers, while there are seven Taiwanese in Iran.
All of them are safe, the ministry said, adding that its overseas missions in Israel and Dubai, the latter of which also manages affairs in Iran, remain in close contact with Taiwanese there and are ready to provide assistance if needed.
The ministry on Friday also said that its working holiday scheme for Israel, which had started accepting applications for the first time on June 1, has been suspended until further notice.
Taiwan and Israel signed a working holiday agreement in 2023, allowing up to 200 nationals aged 18 to 30 to work in the other country for up to one year.
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