The government of Australia has announced it is suspending the operation of its embassy in Tehran, citing a “deteriorating security environment” as Israel continues strikes against facilities in Iran’s nuclear energy program and the week-long war shows no sign of de-escalating or ending.

Israel has been conducting sweeping airstrikes against Iran since last Friday, June 13. It says these are “pre-emptive” operations to prevent the risk of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which has denied for decades that it has such an intention, has retaliated with a volley of missiles and drones.

“The Australian government has instructed all Australian diplomats and their family members (…) to leave due to the deteriorating security environment in Iran,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

Penny Wong said in a press release in Beijing.
Consular staff have been deployed to neighbouring Azerbaijan, particularly at border crossings, to assist Australians who want to leave Iran, Ms Wong added.

“We remain in close contact with our other partner countries. At this stage, our ability to offer consular services is extremely limited due to the situation on the ground. The airspace remains closed,” he reminded.

The country’s ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, will remain in the region to coordinate the country’s response, the foreign minister also said.

More than 1,500 Australian nationals and their relatives in Iran have requested assistance from the Oceania state to flee the Islamic Republic, according to officials in Canberra.