UK withdraws diplomatic staff from Iran
The UK Foreign Office has announced that diplomatic staff in Iran have been temporarily withdrawn due to ongoing security risks in the region, and that the embassy is continuing its operations remotely.
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As the military and diplomatic struggle between the US and Iran deepens, the UK has announced that it has temporarily withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Iran due to rising tensions in the region.
In a statement from the UK Foreign Office, it was stated, "Due to the ongoing security situation, we have temporarily withdrawn our British staff from Iran as a precautionary measure.
Our embassy continues to operate remotely. The support the UK government can provide in Iran is extremely limited. In the event of a potential emergency, face-to-face consular services will not be available, and if you encounter problems in Iran, the UK government will not be able to assist you."
The statement also noted that individuals holding both UK and Iranian passports can cross the Iran-Turkey land border visa-free for up to 90 days. It was stated that British citizens planning to travel from Iran to Turkey by road should contact the British Embassy in Ankara and the UK Foreign Office to request support before heading to the border gate.
Calls against travel reiterated
In the ministry's statement, the call for British citizens not to travel to Iran was reiterated, stating, "British citizens residing in or visiting Iran should carefully evaluate their presence in Iran and the risks associated with remaining in the country."
The UK government's statement came after US President Donald Trump said that in response to any attack by Iran on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, they would target infrastructure facilities across the country, including the capital, Tehran.