TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 5. A total of 9,361 Uzbek citizens have been evacuated to Uzbekistan between March 1 and 5, 2026, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
According to the ministry, the majority of those evacuated, 8,114 people, returned from Saudi Arabia on regular and additional charter flights. Another 1,192 citizens were repatriated from the United Arab Emirates, while 23 people returned from Iran, 25 from Bahrain, and seven from Oman.
The Foreign Ministry noted that the repatriation of Uzbek nationals is being carried out in a systematic and phased manner.
At present, evacuation efforts are focused primarily on countries whose airspace remains open for civil aviation. As airspace in other countries across the region gradually reopens, the work to bring Uzbek citizens home will continue.
Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.