UK withdraws remaining diplomatic staff from Iran

Britain said it had temporarily withdrawn its remaining diplomatic staff from Iran because of the security situation as the conflict between Iran and the United States escalates.

The Foreign Office said on its website that UK staff had been temporarily withdrawn and that the British embassy continues to operate remotely. The Foreign Office declined to say how many staff had been withdrawn.

Britain withdrew embassy staff from Iran in June, after other European nations, Australia and New Zealand had taken similar steps. The withdrawals followed renewed Israeli air strikes on Iran. Israel claimed Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon.

The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran. It said British nationals who are already in Iran, whether resident or visiting, should carefully consider their presence there and the risks of staying.

British couple Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman were detained while travelling in Iran during a round-the-world motorbike trip at the start of 2025. They are serving 10-year sentences for spying, charges they both deny. Their family said last week that Craig Foreman had received an additional two years for talking to the media.