The government of the United Kingdom has announced the withdrawal of its embassy staff from Iran due to heightened security concerns over the ongoing Israel-Iran air strikes.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) made this announcement in a press statement issued on June 20, 2025.
In the statement, FCDO explained that all UK personnel have been temporarily evacuated from the Tehran embassy as the Iran-Israel air strikes escalate.
FCDO also assured that the embassy will continue to operate remotely, ensuring critical services for British nationals remain intact.
“Due to the current security situation, we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
This development also comes after the UK had withdrawn family members of staff from its embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate in Jerusalem, citing similar security concerns amid the intensifying exchanges between Iran and Israel.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the UK’s decision comes after reports emerged that more than 650 people have been killed in Iran following a massive Israeli bombing campaign launched a week ago.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), in a report, claimed that a total of 657 people have died and 2,037 have been injured in the nationwide airstrikes.
Recall that the Israel-Iran air strikes began on June 12, 2025, after Israel launched a massive offensive dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, and key military figures.
Over 200 Israeli fighter jets pounded more than 100 targets, including the Natanz enrichment facility and the army bases in Tehran, Isfahan, and Kermanshah.
Iran retaliated swiftly, firing over 280 ballistic missiles at Israel since Friday, June 13. While Israel’s Iron Dome claimed it intercepted most, some missiles reportedly struck civilian areas.
