The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Interior on Sunday announced that they have set up a hotline for the return of stranded citizens to the Kurdistan Region due to the closure of Iraqi airspace amid the war between Iran and Israel.

The Ministry of Interior stated that citizens stranded at any airport in neighboring countries and requesting assistance can contact either of the following two WhatsApp numbers: +964 750 803 5680 and +964 750 803 5681.

Furthermore, the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, in coordination with Turkish government institutions, has received approval for Kurdistan Region citizens with Iraqi passports to return to the international airports of Istanbul or Sabiha Gokcen via Turkish Airlines or any other Turkish airline without a prior visa.

“Upon arrival, they will receive a five-day transit visa. From there, they can continue their journey either by land or domestic Turkish flights to an airport close to the Kurdistan Region’s borders and return to Kurdistan through the Ibrahim Khalil International Border Gate,” the KRG Ministry of Interior said.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Interior stated that citizens stranded at airports in European countries holding Iraqi passports with a Schengen visa can apply online for a Turkish visa or return without one and receive the visa upon arrival at Turkish airports as described above.

Additionally, at both the Ibrahim Khalil and Haji Omran international border crossings, teams from the Department of Foreign Relations and the Ministry of Interior have made the necessary preparations to quickly and effectively assist citizens returning via land routes from Iran or Turkey.

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday announced that they had extended the closure of the country’s airspace until 7:00 pm on Sunday.

Furthermore, many airlines have canceled their flights to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region due to the closure of airspace. For example, Lufthansa announced Saturday that it had canceled its flights to Erbil until June 20.