Multiple nations pull their diplomatic staff from Iran
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link
A tense standoff between Iran and Israel has prompted several nations to withdraw their diplomatic staff from Tehran. Nations such as the UK, Switzerland, and Australia have announced their temporary withdrawals due to the volatile security environment. The UK Foreign Office stated, "Due to the current security situation, we have taken the measured step to temporarily withdraw our British staff from Iran." However, the embassy will continue to function remotely.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry justified the temporary embassy closure in Tehran citing the "intensity of military operations in Iran and the extremely unstable situation." The Swiss diplomatic staff has left Iranian territory but will return as soon as the turmoil stabilizes. Switzerland also remains responsible for representing U.S. interests in Iran due to the lack of diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran.
Following suit, Australia has decided to withdraw its embassy staff and families. Foreign Minister Penny Wong explained, "We're making this move cautiously, but the deteriorating security situation in Iran compels us to take this decision." Bulgaria, New Zealand, Portugal, and the Czech Republic have joined other countries in temporarily closing their embassies due to the escalating tensions.
The hostilities between Iran and Israel reignited last week, with Israel bombing Iranian nuclear facilities and military installations. Iran has since been firing rockets and drones towards Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to decide within two weeks whether to militarily intervene in the situation.
According to reports, these Western nations' diplomatic staff withdrawals underscore growing concern about Iran's internal security situation and its international policies in light of the ongoing crisis. The heightened tension risks undermining peace efforts and endangering the region's stability[1,2,3].
Sources: ntv.de, AFP
The Commission, monitoring global affairs closely, has expressed alarm at the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, particularly the war-and-conflicts-related political developments that pose a threat to general-news stability in the region. With the Council, convening urgent discussions regarding the war-and-conflicts situation, there is heightened focus on mediation efforts to prevent further instability and maintain peace.
