Britain has withdrawn its remaining diplomatic staff from Iran as fighting between the United States and Iran intensifies, the UK Foreign Office announced on Thursday.
In a staflatement posted on its website, the Foreign Office said embassy staff had been temporarily pulled out of the country because of the deteriorating security situation.
“Due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely.”
The move follows an earlier withdrawal of British embassy personnel in June, when London joined several European countries, along with Australia and New Zealand, in scaling back their diplomatic presence in Iran.
Those evacuations came after Israel resumed air strikes on Iran, saying Tehran was close to developing a nuclear weapon.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) did not disclose how many diplomats were affected by the latest withdrawal, similar to its approach during an earlier staff evacuation in February.
The UK government continues to advise its citizens against travelling to Iran.
“The FCDO advises against all travel to Iran. If you are a British national already in Iran, either resident or visitor, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying,” the advisory states.
The warning comes as two British nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, remain imprisoned in Iran after being arrested during a round-the-world motorcycle trip in early 2025.
The couple are serving 10-year prison sentences on espionage charges, allegations they have consistently denied. Their family said last week that Craig Foreman received an additional two-year sentence for speaking to the media.
AFP
