London: The United Kingdom Has Pulled Its Remaining Diplomatic Staff From Iran As Tensions With The United States Continue To Escalate. This Development Coincides With The 12th Consecutive Night Of US Airstrikes, As Reported By PA Media/Dpa.
According to Nam News Network, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a statement explaining that the decision to withdraw was due to the current security situation. It emphasized that the UK embassy in Iran will continue its operations remotely. The FCDO has also advised against all travel to Iran, citing a significant risk of arrest or detention for British nationals and dual British-Iranian nationals.
This move echoes a similar decision made earlier in February, prior to the commencement of US and Israeli combat operations. The US Central Command announced that the recent airstrikes are aimed at diminishing Iran's capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels in regional waters. The latest missile strikes targeted areas near the cities of Ahvaz, Ramshir, and Andimeshk in western Iran, as reported by Iranian state media.
In a related development, Kuwait's army stated on X that its air defenses are actively engaging hostile drones following Iranian aggression. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning, suggesting that Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger retaliatory measures against Iran's infrastructure. Iran's Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, responded with a message on X, indicating that any aggression towards Iran would be met with a decisive response.
The ongoing conflict reached a critical point during the 11th night of strikes when air defenses were activated over Tehran. Iran retaliated with a missile attack on a Jordanian city, prompting alerts in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In response to the US attacks, Iran has targeted energy infrastructure and desalination plants in neighboring Gulf countries. These actions have raised concerns as international law generally prohibits attacks on civilian infrastructure unless it is used for military purposes.