UK Withdraws Embassy Personnel from Iran as Concerns Mount Over Potential US Military Strike

Britain announced on Friday that it had temporarily withdrawn embassy staff from Iran, pointing to deteriorating security conditions across the region as the reason for the move.

The UK’s Foreign Office confirmed that its capacity to support British citizens in Iran had become severely restricted, with the embassy now functioning remotely and no face-to-face consular assistance available, even in urgent situations.

The development comes amid a backdrop of escalating tensions, with US President Donald Trump having repeatedly threatened military action against Iran while Washington carries out its largest regional military buildup in recent memory.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that Britain was actively backing diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran.

In a parallel move, the US embassy in Jerusalem announced Friday that it was permitting non-essential government employees and their families to leave Israel voluntarily, citing security concerns. The State Department formally authorised the optional departure, and Ambassador Mike Huckabee reportedly urged staff in an internal email to act immediately, advising them to secure any available flight out of the country as a first step toward returning to Washington.

Trump, who authorised strikes on Iran last year, has continued to warn Tehran of further military consequences unless it reaches an agreement with Washington. Iran, for its part, pushed back on Friday, insisting that a deal would only be possible if the US scaled back what it described as unreasonable demands — cooling some of the cautious optimism that had surrounded Oman-brokered talks widely seen as a final opportunity to prevent open conflict.

The statements came after diplomatic discussions between American and Iranian delegations broke down Thursday in Geneva, stalling over deep disagreements regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.