Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed by missile strikes, most of them civilians. Photo: AFP/ATTA KENARE
A friend of a New Zealander stuck in Iran says the government needs to help provide safe passage, and that the advice so far has been "vague and lacking any substance whatsover".
Daria Carrothers told RNZ her friend Maryam* is fearing for her life, describing "lights colliding in the sky, hearing missiles hitting the city and being too terrified to even look outside".
"When you're seeing bombs hit your city, that warrants fearing for your life 100 percent - and not just her's as well."
Hostilities between Iran and Israel have escalated since Israel launched a massive air assault on Friday.
Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. In Israel, 24 people have been killed so far in Iran's missile attacks, all of them civilians.
Carrothers said Maryam is currently stranded alongside her 60-year-old mother who is also a New Zealand citizen. They were scheduled to return to New Zealand on 19 June, but no longer have a safe route confirmed due to the escalating regional situation.
Carrothers said it was "terrifying". She'd received voice memos from Maryam describing the "general destruction" there and random updates.
"And then suddenly you'd hear what sounded like gunfire, and you'd just hear her voice drop and go straight into fear mode and say, 'Oh God, I don't know what's happening. They're starting again'."
Carrothers told RNZ the advice from MFAT up until yesterday had been to "stay put", before an evacuation notice was issued.
Maryam, her mother and 13 family members were travelling south from Tehran, and Carrothers said transport was the biggest issue.
The family were aiming to get to the border, but without any transport to get there, and taxis and buses being booked out, it was difficult, described Carrothers.
On top of that, she said, only 10 litres of petrol can be provided per car per day, "so that obviously really limits how far you can travel".
Carrothers is trying to support Maryam to get out of Iran, but was critical of the support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was providing.
"The advice they give is that they can't give any advice, or that it's to stay put, which doesn't really make sense when you were hearing bombs go off not far away from you."
She felt like the communications were getting stuck in the "bureaucratic system".
"The advice they have given is extremely vague. They say 'get out of Tehran', but go where, because other cities in Iran are also being bombed.
"I've found it extremely frustrating and extremely limiting, and it's a situation that requires urgency."
Carrothers told RNZ she wanted MFAT and the New Zealand government to provide clear advice and support safe passage out of Iran for New Zealand citizens, and until then, a safe location to take shelter.
"It's not as simple as just going to the border and crossing and catching a flight. There's a lot of steps and obstacles in between there."
If the Australian government can put things into place to evacuate their citizens, Carrothers said "we should be able to do that as well".
"Just do something, give clear instruction, give safe passage.
"Everything has been so vague and lacking any substance whatsoever. Give clear guidance, and then give tangible support, something that's actually going to help instead of just 'stay put'."
MFAT declined the offer for an interview, but told RNZ it had heard from a small number of New Zealanders seeking advice about how to depart from Iran and Israel.
It would not provide any further detail regarding those individuals.
MFAT said the airspace is currently closed over both countries, which would likely continue. The agency understood departure via land border crossings had been taking place, but that carried risks and New Zealanders "should only do so if they feel it is safe".
It urged New Zealanders currently in the region to register their details on Safe Travel, which was the main tool MFAT used to communicate with New Zealanders on the ground.
It also said the agency was in close contact with consular partners, including Australia, and would continue to discuss contingency plans with international partners.
*RNZ has agreed not use her real name for safety concerns.
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