Mexico urges peace, monitors 7,000 nationals amid US-Israel strikes on Iran

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry (SRE) has confirmed that the 7,000 Mexicans presently in the Middle East remain “safe and sound.”

In a video posted to social media on Sunday, Foreign Relations Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said the government is “closely monitoring the situation of Mexican citizens” in the Middle East, following the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel and Tehran’s military response.

De la Fuente confirmed that there have been no reports of incidents affecting the Mexican nationals in the region. 

“There is not a single report of anyone suffering any physical harm,” he said.

On Saturday, the SRE issued a statement expressing concern about the situation in the Middle East, while at the same time making an urgent appeal to all parties “to prioritize diplomatic channels and refrain from the use of force, in order to preserve peace and stability in the region.”

The SRE added that “[I]n accordance with our constitutional principles of foreign policy and our country’s pacifist convictions, we urge all parties to avoid further escalation of the conflict, the humanitarian consequences of which, and its effects on the civilian population and global stability, would be grave. We reiterate the need to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation.”

The SRE reports that its embassies in the Middle East remain “attentive and in continuous contact with Mexican nationals residing or transiting through the region, in order to provide them with the consular assistance they require.”

De la Fuente said he held a working meeting with Mexico’s ambassadors to Middle Eastern countries, on the instructions of President Claudia Sheinbaum, with the aim of learning firsthand about local conditions and the situation of Mexicans in the area.

Among those taking part in the videochat were the heads of Mexico’s diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine and Qatar.  

On Sunday, during a working tour of Baja California Sur, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to the military action by urging a peaceful resolution, while bemoaning the humanitarian consequences of the attacks.

“Mexico will always advocate for world peace, which is very necessary at this time,” she said, adding that Mexico’s Constitution establishes the foreign policy principles of self-determination, non-intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

On Monday, Sheinbaum urged a return to the role of multilateral diplomacy to prevent a larger war, while lamenting that the United Nations has lost strength in this regard. 

As most airspace in the region has been closed, the SRE is working to provide alternative evacuation protocols, including land and sea routes, while prioritizing the safety of those being evacuated. It also urged Mexican nationals abroad to seek information through official channels.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias, El Economista and LopezDoriga.com

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