Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Two staff and their families have been evacuated from the New Zealand embassy in Tehran.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Morning Report an opportunity had come "from left-field" for them to join a convoy alongside government officials from other countries.
They were evacuated by land to Azerbaijan.
Peters said he learned the mission had been completed around 4.15am on Thursday. It had been a long haul in part because the people involved would have spent many hours getting through the border.
The embassy has been temporarily closed.
'Extraordinarily difficult'
Peters says the government is working on getting more than 150 New Zealanders out of Iran and Israel on a case-by-case basis.
He said New Zealanders in Iran and Israel should get out by road if they considered it would be safe.
"But look we're in a no flights, no buses, no trains, no fuel situation here and so we're doing our best to try and give them advice on how to get out, where they might be able to transit the border."
Destinations included Azerbaijan as well as other nearby countries, however, the situation was "very complicated and case-by-case".
There were now 76 Kiwis in Iran and 87 in Israel which were higher numbers than originally anticipated.
He said people had been warned for months not to travel to either country and then more recently, to get out as fast as possible.
"It's extraordinarly difficult. As to what we're going to do and how we're going to do it that's seriously confidential because safety is involved."
The government was talking to allies such as Australia which had 1200 people in Iran.
Evacuation flights had been considered but the air space was not open.
"Advice structures" had been set up in two countries near borders.
He advised people to contact the Safe Travel website if they were in Israell and Iran if they haven't done so already.
He said some people abroad and some of their relatives in New Zealand were not heeding advice from officials.
Peters rejected criticism of MFat over a supposed lack of action for Kiwis stranded in the Middle East.
"It's disappointing in the extreme for a department that has a very credible record."
Peters said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has also approached airlines in the region to seek information on possible commercial options once air space reopens.
In the meantime, MFAT has provided advice to registered New Zealanders on overland border exits and will continue to do so in the coming days.
Those in need of urgent consular assistance should contact MFAT's 24/7 Consular Emergency Call Centre (+64 99 20 20 20). The Ministry is continuing to provide support through the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara, Turkey and the temporary deployment of a consular team to Azerbaijan.
A decision on the future of the New Zealand Embasy in Iran will be made at a later date.
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