“Based on the latest figures by the consular section of the embassy, there are around 4200 Iranians in Ukraine, of whom 1100 are in eastern Ukraine,” said Manouchehr Moradi told Tasnim News Agency.

“Since the onset of the current crisis in Ukraine, the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been not only closely watching developments, but also offering consular services round the clock. The embassy has been in close contact with Iranians and informed them of the latest developments,” he said.

He added Iran’s embassy has also designated a phone number which takes calls 24/7 online, responding to fellow countrymen’s demands and concerns.

“Moreover, I, as the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador to Ukraine, and following the phone calls made with Iranians, especially university students in Kiev, visited University Students’ Dormitory No. 13 as one of the places housing Iranian students, and, addressed their demands and problems in a friendly atmosphere,” he explained.

He said around 1200 Iranian students are studying at different universities in Ukraine.
He added the necessary consultations and follow-up work have been done with Iranian officials with regards to transferring Iranian nationals from Ukraine.

IRNA reported Friday that Manouchehr Moradi visited the Iranian students at the shelter, after footage went viral of an Iranian student who said his fellows were holed up at the site.

“The Iranian government has urged Iranian students to leave Ukrainian soil, but it is not possible to exit [Ukraine] given the closure of borders,” said the student in the video.

The Iranian envoy assured the Iranian students that the homeland was doing its utmost to facilitate the exit of Iranians caught up in crisis-torn Ukraine.

The Iranian Embassy in Warsaw has also set up a committee tasked with supporting fellow Iranians in Ukraine since the onset of the Russian military operation in the Eastern European country.

In a statement, it said any Iranian who reaches the border will be transferred to Warsaw and then to Iran.

Earlier, Head of the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAO) Mohammad Mohammadi Bakhsh said CAO was ready to send a passenger plane to Poland to bring the Iranian citizens home, if a permit is issued to allow the flight.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also held talks with his Hungarian counterpart, who pledged efforts to help with the transfer.

Iranians, shocked by Russia’s lightning advances toward the Ukrainian capital, posted a torrent of comments on social media in praise of the brave Iranian soldiers who put up stiff resistance for eight years (1980-1988) in the face of the army of the ex-Iraqi regime, which had the backing of the world’s largest powers back then.

“Ukraine did not survive even for 24 hours, despite enjoying the West’s support and advanced arms…but our soldiers and martyrs stood against the world with empty hands for eight years,” wrote a twitter user, Ali Akbar Ghasemi, in a tweet.

“Now that Russia has arrived at the Ukrainian capital in less than three days, I just realized [ex-Iraqi dictaror] Saddam had rightly predicted, with all the estimates and military equipment in his possession, that he would come to Tehran in three days!” wrote another user, Seyyed Amir.

“He (Saddam) had, however, failed to predict something! And that was the presence of these dear ones (martyrs) guided by their Leader,” he said in a tweet, which was accompanied by the pictures of a number of Iranian martyrs.

“No one should forget! We stayed alive and witnessed the fall of every city in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and now Ukraine, within only 24 hours. We should appreciate more than ever those who stayed in Khorramshahr [for over a month at the onset of the war] and stopped Iraqi military vehicles,” tweeted Mahdi.

Many tweets carried photos of Iran’s top-anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, who led the region’s fight against Takfiri militancy before being assassinated by the US in early 2020.

The crisis in Ukraine prompted Iranians to once again pay tribute to General Soleimani’s sacrifices in defense of Iranian borders.

Many also flashed back to the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Seyyed Ali Ayatollah Khamenei, who advised the nation, on numerous occasions, not to put its trust in the West when it comes to the issue of defense.

“Those who have the illusion that they can ensure their security by relying on others should know that they will be soon slapped in the face due to this (illusion),” said Ayatollah Khamenei once.

Twitter user Nastaran wrote, “The developments in Ukraine proved this precious statement of my dear leader.”

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Askarieh, a media activist, criticized the United Nations’ dual approach to the crises in Ukraine and Yemen, an impoverished country that has been the target of a bloody Saudi-led war since early 2015.

In tweet addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterre, Askarieh slammed the UN chief for being quick to ask Russia to end the campaign and not to endanger the lives of Ukrainians, but failing to make a similar plea when the Saudi regime and its allies attacked Yemen.

Russia announced the launch of a full-blown military operation into Ukraine on Wednesday. A day of fighting saw clashes and casualties reported around the country.

With the Ukrainian army in disarray in the face of Russia’s sweeping advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the Western allies for leaving Ukraine alone in the crisis.