Iranians living in Kuwait are increasingly caught under pressure and anxiety amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Since fresh fighting broke out between Iran and the United States, missile and drone attacks have also increased in Kuwait, affecting the roughly 52,000 Iranians living in the country. Many say they have found themselves caught between the two countries’ conflict and simply want to live peacefully and earn their livelihood.
One visible example of the war’s impact is a Persian restaurant in Kuwait City. Earlier this year, the word “Iranian” was dropped from the phrase “Iranian Cuisine” in the restaurant’s name. Management said the decision to change the name was made because the issue had become sensitive amid the war. However, the restaurant’s business has not yet been hurt by the conflict.
Among Iranian nationals living in Kuwait, some work relatively low-paying jobs on fishing boats, in vegetable markets and bakeries, while many others are involved in the cloth and carpet trade. Iranian traders also have a large presence in the capital’s historic Mubarakiya market, many with long-standing business relationships with local Kuwaitis.
A 35-year-old Iranian trader from Shiraz, who used a pseudonym for security reasons, said they have lived in Kuwait for many years and want no trouble between the two countries. He said the war has also prevented him from returning to his daughter in Iran. Direct flights between Iran and Kuwait were suspended on Feb. 28.
Before the war, trade relations between Kuwait and Iran were quite active. In 2024, trade between the two countries totaled about $300 million. Iran exported food and agricultural products, fish, carpets and construction materials to Kuwait. Even amid the war, several Iranian traders in the Mubarakiya market said their relationships with Kuwaiti buyers remain good.
However, pressure on the Iranian community has grown due to the security situation. Kuwaiti authorities are carrying out raids and arrests on suspicion of contact with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard or of sabotage-related activities. Last month, the country’s only Iranian school was also shut down.
One Iranian national said that while they have not faced direct harassment, a sense of anxiety pervades the community. Another put it this way: “We’ve been caught in the middle.” At the same time, some local Kuwaiti residents say Iranians have long been part of the country’s history and society, and that Kuwait is hard to imagine without them.
Alongside the military impact of the war, its social impact in Kuwait is becoming increasingly clear. Living amid decades of neighborly and commercial ties, the Iranian community now faces fresh uncertainty on three fronts — security, livelihood and their own social identity.