
Some embassies in Iran suspending operations amid Iran-Israel conflict
Some embassies in the Iranian capital of Tehran are now suspending operations amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Friday that her government had directed the suspension of business at the embassy in Tehran. She said it had also instructed the evacuation of Australian officials of the diplomatic mission and their dependents.
The Australian ambassador to Iran will remain in the region to support the government's response to the crisis.
Wong also urged Australians who are able to leave Iran to do so immediately, if their safety can be ensured.
On Thursday, New Zealand said it had suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran. Switzerland has also done so.
Reuters news agency reported that Portugal has temporarily closed its embassy, while Bulgaria has temporarily moved its embassy functions in Tehran to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
Japan's Foreign Ministry said the Japanese Embassy in Tehran is still in operation.
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NHK
2 hours ago
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Israel, Iran conduct fresh strikes
Israel and Iran have continued carrying out attacks despite diplomatic efforts by leaders across the world. The Israel Defense Forces said on Friday that they conducted operations in western and northwestern Iran, destroying missile storage and launch facilities. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to launch attacks against the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij volunteer militia. Tasnim, the news agency affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, said on Friday their forces hit back with ballistic missiles and drones. Those attacks reportedly hurt 23 people in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. People in Tehran took to the streets after Friday prayers to protest the Israeli strikes. They carried pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while chanting "Death to Israel." Israeli leaders have said their remaining goal is to wipe out the uranium enrichment site at Fordow in central Iran. The facility is believed to be located deep underground. Steve Ganyard, a former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State who previously served as a Marine Corps fighter pilot, said taking the facility out would be challenging. He said if the US decides to get involved, the military would have to deploy bombs known as "bunker busters." Ganyard said it is unclear how many of the bombs it would take to destroy the facility, adding that indications point to it being an enormous complex. He said, "That's a big area underneath there, and those halls are massive." Ganyard added that multiple B2 stealth bombers would be needed to carry the payloads and that they would need to conduct a series of attacks, not just a one-time operation.


NHK
2 hours ago
- NHK
Iran, Europe talks wrap up in Geneva
The Iranian foreign minister met with top European diplomats in Geneva on Friday in a bid to ease the conflict between Iran and Israel. After the meeting, the Europeans issued a statement saying they support continuing the discussions, and welcomed US efforts to seek a "negotiated solution." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, at a hotel in the city. After the talks, Kallas said, "The regional escalation benefits no one and that's why we need to keep the discussions with Tehran open." She also said they agreed to discuss nuclear and broader issues. The Iranian foreign minister said, "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once aggression is stopped." He also stressed that he made clear that "Iran's defense capabilities are not negotiable." This comes after the White House said Thursday that US President Donald Trump has set a two-week timeline to decide on whether the US will join the conflict. Trump was dismissive about the Geneva talks. Speaking to reporters after arriving in New Jersey, he said, "Europe is not going to be able to help." He also denied that the US will ask Israel to stop the attacks. At the Security Council meeting in New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the confrontation is "racing" toward a crisis, and "we are on course to potential chaos." He said: "Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially our collective future. This is such a moment." The UN leader called on all the parties to "give peace a chance."


Asahi Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Countries evacuating citizens from Iran and Israel
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya meets reporters at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on June 20. (The Asah Shimbun) Countries around the world are taking measures to evacuate their citizens from Israel and Iran as the two nations enter the seventh day of their air war and airspace in the region remains closed. A week of Israeli air and missile strikes against its major rival has wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command, damaged its nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of people, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed at least two dozen civilians in Israel. Here are some of the countries whose citizens have left: JAPAN 87 Japanese nationals and their family members have evacuated by land to neighboring countries from Israel and Iran, Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Friday. Japan plans to conduct a second evacuation by bus from Iran as early as June 21. AUSTRALIA The Australian government evacuated by land a small group of the 1,200 Australians seeking to leave Israel on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Thursday. Around 2,000 Australians in Iran have registered for assistance. AUSTRIA 48 Austrians have left Israel or neighbouring Jordan, out of the 200 who reported to the Tel Aviv embassy, the Foreign Ministry said. Around 100 Austrians have requested to leave Iran. 44 Austrian and EU citizens have been evacuated towards Turkey and Armenia, it added. BULGARIA Bulgaria has closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated diplomatic staff and their families to neighboring Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told local media on Friday, adding that the embassy would continue to operate from Baku. CHINA China has evacuated more than 1,600 citizens from Iran and hundreds more from Israel, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. Several thousand Chinese nationals are thought to reside in Iran, according to state media reports. CZECH REPUBLIC A flight with 66 people evacuated from Israel had landed near Prague, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said. FRANCE France will arrange a convoy by the end of the week from Iran to the Turkish or Armenian borders, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday. French citizens in Israel can board buses starting Friday morning from the Jordanian border and a flight has been chartered from Amman, Barrot said. GERMANY 345 German citizens have left the Middle East region, the foreign ministry said, after the country provided charter flights to Germany. GREECE Greece has evacuated 16 nationals and their families by land from Iran to Azerbaijan and is now working on their repatriation to Greece, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. INDIA India said on Wednesday that it had launched "Operation Sindhu" to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. 110 Indian students have been evacuated from northern Iran into Armenia on June 17, India's foreign ministry said. ITALY Italy is organizing a charter flight from Egypt on June 22 to allow its citizens to leave Israel. The country is facilitating road convoys from Teheran to countries neighbouring Iran, the foreign ministry said on Friday. NEW ZEALAND New Zealand temporarily closed its Tehran embassy and evacuated two staff and their families by land to Azerbaijan. POLAND Poland ended an evacuation from Iran on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said. A flight with about 40 people from Israel is expected to arrive on Sunday after two others already landed on Wednesday and Thursday. PORTUGAL Portugal has temporarily shut its embassy in Iran and evacuated four of its citizens via Azerbaijan. It has received 130 repatriation requests from citizens in Israel and is organising a repatriation flight, expected to land in Portugal later on Thursday, the foreign ministry said. SERBIA A group of 100 Serbs have fled Israel via Egypt, ambassador Miroljub Petrovic said on Thursday. SIERRA LEONE 36 citizens were evacuated to Armenia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. SLOVAKIA The first evacuation flight with 73 people, tourists and family members of diplomats from Israel arrived in Bratislava on Monday, Slovak authorities said. The foreign ministry added on Friday it would temporarily close its embassy in Tehran and was fully evacuating staff from the country. SOUTH KOREA South Korea has supported the evacuation of 32 of its citizens from Iran to Turkmenistan, and 25 from Israel to Jordan, the foreign ministry said. TAIWAN 36 Taiwanese have been evacuated from Israel via the land crossing with Jordan, while three Taiwanese have left Iran via the land border with Turkey, Taiwan's foreign ministry said. UGANDA Two diplomats and 42 Ugandan students have been evacuated from Iran to Turkey, Uganda's foreign ministry told Reuters. UNITED STATES The United States is working to evacuate U.S. citizens wishing to leave Israel by arranging flights and cruise ship departures, U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee said in a post on X on Wednesday. VIETNAM Vietnam's foreign ministry told its citizens in Israel and Iran to get ready for evacuation and 18 Vietnamese citizens have already been evacuated from Iran.