Latest information on the operation to evacuate Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East and Iran
05 March 2026 News
The Crisis Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is organizing the largest and most complex operation to date to evacuate Bulgarian citizens from several countries in the Middle East region. The operation is being carried out using a combination of land and air transport and requires a precise approach in order to provide timely assistance and ensure the safe return of our compatriots to Bulgaria. To achieve this goal, all possible mechanisms are being used, including the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working in constant coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the Prime Minister's Office to ensure the successful implementation of the operation.
As part of the operation, 180 of our compatriots are expected to arrive at Vasil Levski Airport at 6:45 p.m. today, brought in on a special Bulgaria Air flight from Dubai. Earlier during the day, at 5:30 p.m., 111 Bulgarian citizens evacuated from Salalah, Oman, on a charter flight operated by Bulgaria Air will arrive on Bulgarian soil.
As of 2 p.m., according to data from the Situation Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assistance was provided as follows:
For UAE:
- On March 5, 2026, at 2:15 a.m., a flight of the "State Aviation Operator" from Abu Dhabi landed in Bulgaria with 85 people on board;
- On March 5, 2026, at 3:30 a.m., a flight operated by Gulliver Airlines from Dubai landed in Bulgaria with 326 people on board.
For Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar:
- The EU cooperation mechanism has been activated with an evacuation flight (from Riyadh to Vienna) by Austria. Twenty-nine seats on board have been reserved for Bulgarian citizens: 16 from Bahrain, 10 from Saudi Arabia, and 3 from Qatar. This flight is currently underway.
For Jordan:
- The embassy has provided assistance to tour operators for a total of 130 Bulgarian citizens.
For Iraq:
- Over the past few days, a total of 20 compatriots have been evacuated by land across the border with Turkey or Jordan. At this stage, there are no Bulgarian citizens left to be evacuated from Iraq.
For Kuwait:
- At present, the airspace is closed and the civil airport is not operating. There are eight Bulgarian tourists in the country, and the embassy is working on a specific solution for their evacuation.
For Israel:
- Fourteen Bulgarian citizens on short-term stays in Israel have been evacuated by land via Tel Aviv-GCPT-Taba-Sharm el-Sheikh Airport with the assistance of another EU Member State. Two Bulgarian citizens left Israel via another route to Amman Airport - Prague by land and air transport provided by another EU Member State.
For Iran:
- A total of 47 Bulgarian citizens currently reside in the country, along with 14 Iranian citizens who are members of their families. Two have requested evacuation, but as they have dual citizenship (Bulgarian and Iranian), they are currently unable to leave the country.
The UAE's airspace is now open to commercial flights, allowing tour operators to begin flights with Bulgarian citizens who have traveled to the UAE in an organized manner, thus successfully fulfilling their commitments to their customers.
At present, there are still Bulgarian citizens in Qatar, where the airspace is not expected to open in the coming days, who have expressed a desire to be evacuated from the country. The efforts of the Crisis Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are focused on providing assistance, including through options via Saudi Arabia by land.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again draws attention to the fact that Bulgarian citizens affected by the situation with suspended flights through airports in the Middle East, but who are outside the areas of active military operations, should remain in contact with their airlines or tour operators to secure alternative routes via third destinations for their return to Bulgaria.
The Crisis Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to work around the clock, receiving and processing all calls and reports from the region and many other parts of the world. Reports and requests for assistance are taken on the 24-hour hotlines of the Situation Center and the newly opened lines of the Crisis Headquarters for direct contact with Bulgarian citizens stranded in the Middle East region: +359 2 948 3051; +359 2 948 3052; +359 2 948 2085; +359 2 948 2087; +359 2 948 3124; +359 2 948 2798; +359 2 948 2552; +359 2 948 2086 as well as by e-mail: crisis@mfa.bg