The United Kingdom has decided to withdraw its staff from the embassy in Iran due to a recent conflict involving Israel. This move comes as countries scramble to evacuate their citizens from the region amidst escalating tensions.
The U.K. government issued a travel advisory indicating that diplomatic staff have been pulled back as a precaution. While the embassy in Tehran will continue to function remotely, the advisory warned that U.K. government support in Iran is very limited. In case of emergencies, no face-to-face consular assistance will be available, meaning that the government cannot help if someone finds themselves in trouble there.
Switzerland has also temporarily closed its embassy in Iran, citing the intensity of military operations and the unstable situation. All Swiss diplomatic staff have safely departed from Iran.
These embassy closures coincided with renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump is currently considering whether to deploy American military forces to Iran, urging Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program to prevent the development of nuclear weapons.
Canada, which does not have a diplomatic presence in Iran, is working on plans to evacuate its citizens. Nearly 5,000 Canadians are registered with the government as being in Iran, a number that has risen by about 1,500 in just a few days. Fortunately, there have been no reports of Canadians being injured or killed in the ongoing conflict.
Global Affairs Canada has advised Canadians to leave Iran through land borders into Turkey or Armenia. Some have already exited via various land crossings. For Canadians in Israel, options to leave include border crossings into Jordan or Egypt, as well as maritime routes to Cyprus. The Canadian government has deployed additional consular officers to provide support in neighboring countries.
As the situation unfolds, many countries, including China, Japan, Australia, and several European nations, are also evacuating their citizens from Iran and the surrounding areas. The U.S. State Department has provided support to over 25,000 Americans looking to leave the region, although they will not be organizing direct evacuations.
The ongoing conflict has already resulted in significant casualties. Reports indicate that at least 657 people, including civilians, have died in Iran due to Israeli strikes, while Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel. The situation remains tense, and many are watching closely to see how it develops.