"The moment I stepped through customs and saw the embassy staff waiting for us, my heart finally felt at ease," Wang said. "It was a feeling of warmth and familiarity. At that moment, I knew I was safe."

by Xinhua writer Liu Shuchen

BAKU, March 5 (Xinhua) -- At around 5 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) Tuesday, a bus carrying 48 Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran slowly pulled up in front of the Caspian Business Hotel in the capital of Azerbaijan.

The group was among more than 260 Chinese citizens who had crossed into Azerbaijan in recent days as part of an evacuation effort coordinated by the Chinese embassy amid rising security risks in Iran.

Despite the fatigue of the long journey and nearly two days without proper rest, many stepped off the bus with visible relief. Waiting at the hotel entrance was Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei, who greeted each arrival with a handshake as volunteers helped carry luggage and guide them through hotel check-in procedures.

The day happened to coincide with the Lantern Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday associated with family reunion. To welcome the arriving group, the embassy had prepared bowls of tangyuan -- sweet glutinous rice balls traditionally eaten during the festival -- in the hotel lobby.

Lu personally handed the steaming bowls to the evacuees one by one.

She told the group that Baku was only the first stop on their journey home and assured them that the embassy would continue providing assistance to ensure their safe and smooth return to China.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Azerbaijan, a working group had been dispatched to the Astara checkpoint on the Azerbaijan-Iran border immediately after Iran came under military attack.

The team worked around the clock to receive arriving Chinese nationals and facilitate their customs clearance. By 5 p.m. Tuesday, more than 260 Chinese citizens had successfully crossed into Azerbaijan from Iran.

In addition to arranging hotel accommodations, the embassy also coordinated with airlines to help them book flights back to China.

The embassy noted that the Azerbaijani government provided great support for the entry of Chinese nationals.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," Lu said, adding that the coordination reflected the true spirit of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Azerbaijan.

Bao Lijun, president of the Azerbaijan Overseas Chinese Association, worked alongside embassy staff at the Astara checkpoint.

He said the association had mobilized more than 50 volunteers to assist evacuees, offering services such as hotel arrangements, currency exchange, flight bookings and translation services.

Among those arriving in Baku was Wang Yongchao, who crossed the border through the Astara checkpoint on Tuesday.

Wang had been working in Zanjan, Iran, where he and more than 80 other Chinese citizens were installing equipment at a local paper mill. Early Monday morning, buses arranged by the Chinese Embassy in Iran picked them up directly from the factory gates and escorted them to the Iranian side of the border with Azerbaijan.

"The moment I stepped through customs and saw the embassy staff waiting for us, my heart finally felt at ease," Wang said. "It was a feeling of warmth and familiarity. At that moment, I knew I was safe."

Without the assistance and coordination of the Chinese government, reaching Baku would have been far more difficult and uncertain, Wang added.