The US‑Israel military operation against Iran has plunged the Middle East into chaos, with thousands of French expatriates stranded amid closed airspaces and mounting tensions. The French government says it will spare no effort to bring people home safely.
The weekend strikes carried out jointly by the US and Israel against Iran and Tehran's subsequent retaliation have disrupted air travel over much of the region, leaving tens of thousands of French citizens and – residents and visitors alike – unable to depart.
French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot has declared their safety his “absolute priority”, mobilising embassies, consulates and a 24/7 crisis hotline that has already fielded nearly 5,000 calls.
The Middle East is home, temporary or permanently, to a substantial amount of French expatriates. Official crisis tallies from the Quai d’Orsay, cited in recent press briefings, put the number of French nationals (residents or passing through) in the dozen directly affected countries at nearly 400,000.
This includes long‑term expatriates, dual nationals, business travellers and tourists. Israel alone accounts for 221,000, with another 38,000 in Jerusalem and the West Bank, driven by strong historical and familial ties.
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In the Gulf states – economic hubs for many French professionals – the figures are substantial: 64,000 in the United Arab Emirates (home to the largest French community in the Arab world, with around 30,000 – 45,000 registered residents), 9,200 in Qatar, 8,400 in Saudi Arabia, 2,400 in Oman, 1,400 in Bahrain and 1,100 in Kuwait.
Lebanon hosts 24,400, Jordan 3,100, Iran 1,000, Iraq 600 and Syria 550 – still not very popular as a result of recent wars and rebellions there.
Special hotline
France’s response is multifaceted: 15 diplomatic posts are coordinating security updates, local evacuations where feasible (often by land) and assistance for the most vulnerable.
Citizens are urged to check the French foreign ministry's website daily and register on its Fil d'Ariane page for alerts.
While no French casualties have been reported, the government vowed “no effort spared” to bring its people home safely.
For French nationals residing in Iraqi Kurdistan (in northern Iraq) which borders Iran, the French embassy in Baghdad has advised nationals to leave that region via Turkey.
Air France said Monday it was extending its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until Thursday due to "the security situation" in the region.
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Dubai Airports said "limited" flights would resume on Monday evening, for companies such as Emirates and low-cost carrier flydubai, while Etihad Airways, which operates flights from Abu Dhabi, said it would resume flights on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, other countries have also begun coordinating their response to rescue their nationals.
Germany said Monday it would send civilian planes to Saudi Arabia and Oman to collect some 30,000 citizens stuck in the region.
Crisis teams have been sent to Muscat, Doha and Dubai to explore the possibility of evacuating Germans from these locations, including overland, the foreign ministry said, adding that a team from the German embassy in Cairo was assisting with border crossings from Israel.
(with newswires)
