Irish Embassy in Tehran Temporarily Closed Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict, Confirms Minister Simon Harris
Tehran – The Irish Embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed due to the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris confirmed.
The closure was prompted by growing security concerns amid the ongoing military hostilities. Harris stated that embassy staff have been relocated as a precautionary measure, while consular operations for Irish citizens in Iran will now be managed directly from Dublin.
“Given the rapidly deteriorating security situation, we made the decision to temporarily suspend operations at the Irish Embassy in Tehran,” Harris said. “The safety of our diplomatic personnel and Irish citizens remains our top priority.”
The embassy’s four staff members were evacuated overland due to the closure of Iranian airspace. The journey to the Iranian border reportedly took 12 hours, with the last two staff members, including Ambassador Laoise Moore, departing Iran safely yesterday evening. Two others had previously been relocated.
While the embassy in Tehran has been closed, Ireland’s diplomatic presence in Tel Aviv and the consular office in Ramallah in the West Bank remain operational. Harris assured that contact is being maintained with Irish citizens still in Iran and that arrangements have been made to assist those wishing to leave both Iran and Israel.
The move comes amid heightened regional tensions following Israel’s military strike on Iran last Friday, which was met with retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran. The conflict has continued to intensify, prompting a growing number of countries to reduce or suspend diplomatic operations in Iran.
The United Kingdom, along with Australia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Slovakia, have all announced the temporary withdrawal of embassy staff or the closure of embassies in Tehran, citing similar safety concerns.
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