Australia shuts down Tehran embassy as Iran-Israel conflict escalates

Audio By Carbonatix

By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia said on Friday it had suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, citing a deteriorating security situation as Israel hit Iran’s nuclear facilities again, and the week-old air war showed no sign yet of an exit strategy from either side.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australian defence personnel and aircraft were being deployed to the Middle East as part of contingency plans to help evacuate its citizens and diplomats when the airspace opens. They would not be used for combat, she added.

“We have a very volatile security situation in Iran,” Wong said during a media conference.

“We do not have to cast our minds back too far in history to understand the risk to foreign officials in Iran in times of unrest.”

Israel launched a sweeping aerial campaign against Iran last Friday, calling it a preemptive strike to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran has denied any such plans and retaliated by launching counterstrikes on Israel.

Consular staff are being sent to neighbouring Azerbaijan, including its border crossings, to support Australians departing Iran by road, Wong said.

“We are in the process of getting a crisis response team into Azerbaijan and the purpose is to assist any Australians who get to that border and that is the border crossing that is the most likely for exit from Tehran,” she added.

Around 2,000 Australians and their families in Iran have sought assistance to leave the country, official data showed.

Australia’s ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, would remain in the region to support the government’s response.

Wong said she discussed the conflict overnight with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

When asked if Rubio requested any military support from Australia if the U.S. decides to join the conflict, Wong said: “no such request was made.”

President Donald Trump will decide in the next two weeks whether the U.S. will get involved in the Israel-Iran air war, the White House said on Thursday.

(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Diane Craft, Jamie Freed and Saad Sayeed)