Spanish Resident Imprisoned in Tehran Expresses Frustration Over Inadequate Response and Neglect from Spanish Government Authorities
Title: Spanish Tourist Locked Down in Iran: Urgent Call for Consular Assistance
3 minutes read
Five days post the chaos between Israel and Iran, numerous nations have suggested their citizens to seek refuge or rush to their embassies for evacuation. However, Foni Díaz, a Spanish tourist Finds himself trapped in Tehran, the heart of the action.
"Currently, I'm in a rather gloomy situation as the hotel is shut, and I'm the sole guest. Essentially, there's only a skeleton staff of two people at reception who are struggling with English communication. There's been a lack of attention toward even the rooms," Mr. Díaz shared with Radio Nacional de España (RNE) in a distressing interview. Peering from his window, he witnesses drones zooming by and ongoing clashes between both nations. Since his accommodation, he's hardly had a good night's sleep, often waking up during the wee hours when confrontations flare up.
According to Díaz, his misfortunes began at 4:00 am on a Friday morning when his scheduled flight took off, wrapping up a nearly three-week tour. Ironically, he learned that Israel had attacked, leading to his flight being abruptly canceled. Abandoned with no other options, he was forced to return to the hotel where he had stayed before, where there were barely any tourists, and an even lesser staff. His predicament intensifies given the uncertainty and insecurity prevalent in the Iranian capital.
Díaz's family has made repeated attempts to contact Spanish authorities for help, but their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. The family's anxiety for Foni's well-being amplifies as he faces trouble accessing funds.
"They're yet to provide a significant response or attention," said Díaz.
A retired man of two years, Díaz has spent his post-retirement traveling the world, heading to over a hundred countries. This incident marks the very first time he's been stuck in a situation of confinement and lack of support. Although he's found himself amid conflict zones earlier, he was always able to travel when needed. He now demands an instant response from the authorities.
"The Spanish government must undertake immediate measures such as chartering a bus and activating diplomacy. Evidently, there aren't many Westerners in the city, so prompting action by the Spanish Embassy to gather a few like-minded nations together for evacuation wouldn't be too high a financial expense. It's high time they stood by their responsibility to safeguard the interests of Spanish nationals," Díaz implored.
7 minutes## Pressing Consular Action
Díaz admitted to RNE that despite being confined for five days, he did manage to communicate with the Spanish Embassy in Tehran, but the feedback has been somewhat unappealing. "I spoke with someone from the embassy and they said they were waiting for instructions," Díaz shared. "Since then, they've hardly responded or provided attention," he added regarding his interaction with the embassy.
Quite understandably, Díaz is perplexed and uneasy about the lack of immediate assistance from the embassy, leading him to believe that they are not adequately addressing the gravity of the situation. "They should uphold their duties for which they exist - that is to protect those carrying Spanish passports. I've been stranded for five days, and the conflict is intensifying. We yearn for some resolution," Díaz emphasized.
Díaz also advised the Spanish Embassy to collaborate with other embassies, such as the Portuguese one, which has managed to evacuate Spanish nationals, ensuring their safe return.
As of today, the tenth wave of missiles targeting Israel has been reported since the onset of the conflict, resulting in four injured people in Haifa, a city prized for its energy infrastructure and a petroleum refinery. Moreover, a warning has been issued to Israeli citizens to evacuate the occupied territories in the event of possible attacks on strategic spots. Right before the arrival of Iranian missiles, the Israeli Army had struck an aerial refueling plane at Mashad airport, nestled in eastern Iran.
- Despite the ongoing war-and-conflicts between Israel and Iran, many nations are urging their citizens to either seek refuge or return to their embassies for potential evacuation.
- Foni Díaz, a Spanish tourist, finds himself in this very predicament, trapped in Tehran, witnessing ongoing clashes firsthand.
- In a distressing interview with Radio Nacional de España (RNE), Díaz shares his concern about the lack of attention towards even the rooms in his hotel, and the language barrier with the skeleton staff.
- Although Díaz has communicated with the Spanish Embassy in Tehran, he expresses disappointment at the lack of immediate action or response from the authorities.
- As the situation intensifies, Díaz implores the Spanish government to take immediate measures such as chartering a bus and activating diplomacy, possibly collaborating with other embassies like the Portuguese one, which has successfully evacuated Spanish nationals.
