Taiwan’s government on Tuesday voiced support for international efforts to promote freedom and democracy in Iran, while too condemning recent indiscriminate military attacks attributed to Tehran, a statement that comes amid heightened regional tensions following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian soil.
Responding to a question regarding the U.S. And Israeli actions against Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei stated Taiwan, as a member of the international democratic community, supports efforts to help the Iranian people achieve freedom, democracy and human rights. “We hope the Iranian people can soon enjoy freedom, democracy and human rights,” Hsiao said.
The statement also included condemnation of Iran’s recent missile and drone attacks targeting countries in the Gulf region, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Taiwan’s position reflects a growing alignment with the United States and Israel, particularly in the context of shared democratic values and security concerns. Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu, speaking in Parliament, affirmed that the U.S. And Israel aimed to “eliminate terrorism,” and underscored their status as allies of Taiwan. Wu recently undertook a previously undisclosed trip to Israel late last year.
Taiwan has strengthened its engagement with Israel following the October 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, viewing Israel as an important democratic partner. This increased engagement mirrors Taiwan’s own experience with external military pressure, as Taiwanese leaders, including President Lai Ching-te, have drawn parallels between Israel’s security situation and that of Taiwan, which faces escalating military threats from China.
Despite these close ties, Taiwan maintains no formal diplomatic relations with either the United States or Israel. Washington, however, remains Taiwan’s primary international backer and supplier of arms. Taiwan also has not maintained diplomatic relations with Iran since 1971, when Tehran recognized the People’s Republic of China.
The U.S. Strikes against Iran, conducted jointly with Israel, were aimed at dismantling a key pillar of China’s regional strategy, according to Zineb Riboua, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Middle East Peace and Security. Riboua argues that Beijing has invested heavily in turning Iran into a “structural strategic asset” to divert U.S. Military resources in the Pacific. China purchases approximately 90 percent of Iran’s exported crude oil, utilizing “ghost fleets” to circumvent sanctions, and trade between the two countries has exceeded $140 billion since 2021.
As of Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that approximately 3,000 Taiwanese nationals remain in the Middle East, and no requests for government-assisted evacuation have been received. The ministry has established a 24/7 emergency hotline at +886-800-085-095 for Taiwanese citizens in the region and advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, raising travel alerts to the second-highest level.