As US President Donald Trump mulls military intervention, Britain on the 14th of January had evacuated its ambassador and other embassy staff from Iran, writes Politico.
The official, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that the decision was made after assessing the security situation and putting the safety of staff first. A government spokesman said that the British embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed and will now operate remotely. The Foreign Office’s travel advice has also been updated to take into account the changes in consular activities.
The evacuation was carried out shortly after the US ordered the withdrawal of some personnel stationed at the Qatari air base. The air base in Qatar is the largest US base in the Middle East and is home to about 10,000 American troops. A former US official close to the situation informed that aircraft have also been moved from the base.
The UK has already advised against travel to Iran and has urged its citizens there to carefully consider whether to stay.
The British ambassador, along with other European diplomats, was summoned to meet with the Iranian foreign minister
on the 12th of January.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, speaking to Politico while on a visit to Finland and Norway before the evacuation was announced, praised the brave protesters in Tehran who are facing daily repression. The protesters could face the death penalty, and Cooper said the world is watching Iran and the violence must stop. “The idea that they would escalate the violence further with these executions is absolutely horrific,” she said.
Cooper said her priority is sanctions and economic pressure, not military strikes. However, she did not rule out the possibility of allowing the US to use British resources, including air bases, to strike Iran.
Read also: US politics and its traces – both in the hallways of governments and at airports