Eight Russian citizens left Iran through the Sarakhs border crossing on the Iranian-Turkmen border and flew to Moscow on an S7 Airlines flight, TASS reported, citing Igor Samoshkin, head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Ashgabat.

"Eight Russians crossed the border through the Sarakhs checkpoint yesterday. The Turkmen side brought them to Ashgabat and accommodated them in a hotel. We, of course, met them and helped them with their accommodations. Today, they flew on an S7 Airlines flight to Moscow," he said.

Samoshkin explained the procedure for leaving Iran via Turkmenistan. According to him, Russians must first contact the Russian Embassy in Tehran, which then informs the Turkmen side. "And only when the Turkmen side receives a visa request or Russians arrive at the border to obtain an entry visa, do they inform us. So far, nothing else is happening," the diplomat explained.

Earlier, on March 2, the Russian Embassy in Ashgabat announced that a procedure had been developed for Russian citizens unable to depart Iran on direct flights to travel by road through Turkmenistan. Exit is only possible through the Sarakhs border crossing, located approximately 400 km from Ashgabat. To obtain travel approval, Russian citizens must submit a package of documents to the Russian Embassy in Iran.