Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun evacuating its citizens from Iran and Israel amid growing conflict between the two countries, with 48 Ugandan students already being moved out of Tehran.

The ministry confirmed the evacuation in a statement signed by Permanent Secretary Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, and assured the public that efforts to move all affected Ugandans are ongoing.

"We have engaged the relevant authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to ensure the safe passage and evacuation of our nationals from the conflict-affected areas," the statement read.

To ease the process, Uganda says it is working with neighbouring countries including Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Jordan to issue free entry visas to Ugandans fleeing the region. Diplomatic missions in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar have been directed to provide consular help to Ugandans arriving in those countries.

The ministry noted that logistical challenges, including closed airspace over Iran and Israel, are complicating the evacuations.

"Given the security situation and the dynamics on the ground, there are challenges and delays in securing the appropriate transport for all distressed Ugandans," the statement said.

Despite the difficulties, the government assured that it is doing “everything within its means” to ensure the safety of all its nationals.