The Australian government has announced that it has suspended the operation of its Embassy in Tehran due to concerns about a serious deterioration in the security environment, in the context of Israel continuing to airstrike Iranian nuclear facilities and the conflict between the two sides showing no signs of cooling down.
In a statement on June 20, Australian Secretary of State Penny Wong said that all staff and relatives of Australian officials in Iran had been asked to leave the country. The decision was based on an assessment of the worsening security situation in Iran, Ms. Wong said.
To help citizens leave Iran, consular staff have been deployed to Azerbaijan, including areas near the border with Iran. However, Secretary of State Wong noted that the current ability to provide consular services is extremely limited due to local conditions. The airspace in the area is still closed, making it more difficult for evacuation efforts.
Australian Ambassador to Iran, Mr. Ian McConville, will remain in the region to coordinate the government's necessary responses, according to confirmation from Ms. Wong. Official data shows that more than 1,500 Australian citizens and their relatives in Iran have contacted the government to request assistance in leaving the country.
Tensions have begun to escalate since Israel launched a large-scale airstrike on Iran last week. Tel Aviv called it a prone attack to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran denied the allegations and immediately responded with missile attacks targeting Israeli territory.
The confrontation that has lasted for the past week has forced many countries in the region and the world to reconsider their citizen protection measures and diplomatic policies. Meanwhile, neither Israel nor Iran have yet set out a clear path to ease the conflict.
The decision to close the Embassy in Tehran reflects Australia's growing concern about the safety of its diplomats and citizens, and shows that tensions in the Middle East are deeply affecting international relations.
