Amid the worsening situation in the Middle East, Turkmenistan continues to serve as the region’s humanitarian hub. On March 3, a group of 23 citizens of the Republic of Korea, including well-known athletes, safely crossed the Iran–Turkmenistan border and arrived in Ashgabat, Orient.tm reported.
The evacuation, organized by South Korea’s diplomatic service, took place under difficult conditions. Buses carrying the evacuees spent more than a day on the road, traveling from Tehran to the eastern border.
Among those who arrived in Turkmenistan were prominent figures in Korean sport: Lee Do-hee, head coach of Iran’s women’s national volleyball team, and Lee Ki-je, a professional league footballer. For them, as for the rest of the group, crossing into Turkmenistan marked the end of the most stressful stage of the journey.
In Ashgabat, the evacuees received the necessary logistical support. According to preliminary information, on March 4 the group will depart from the international airport of the Turkmen capital for Seoul or third countries.
Turkmenistan as an Island of Stability
Reports of successful evacuations from Iran via Turkmenistan involving citizens of Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and now South Korea underscore the effectiveness of Turkmenistan’s border and migration services.
Following other regional neighbors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan has officially recommended that its citizens use Turkmen territory as a priority route for returning home. According to Kyrgyzstan’s foreign ministry, key checkpoints on the Turkmen–Iranian border have been opened for evacuations since March 2: “Serakhs” and “Artyk” are open to all Kyrgyz citizens holding standard passports, while “Bajgiran” is intended for holders of diplomatic passports.
Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the operation of these checkpoints was made possible thanks to Turkmenistan’s prompt support. The Kyrgyz Embassy in Ashgabat has been placed on high alert to receive citizens and provide further assistance with transit through the international airport of the Turkmen capital.
Turkmenistan’s status of permanent neutrality once again demonstrates its practical value, turning the country into a reliable humanitarian bridge amid regional instability.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
March 4, 2026