UK evacuates staff from Iran amid attack fears

Britain announced on Friday that it had temporarily evacuated its embassy staff from Iran due to the deteriorating security situation in the region.

Britain's foreign office said its ability to assist British nationals was now extremely limited, with the embassy operating remotely and no in-person consular support available even in emergencies, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The announcement follows repeated threats from President Donald Trump to strike Iran, and with the United States conducting its biggest military build-up in the region in decades.

The US embassy in Jerusalem also announced on Friday it was allowing non-emergency government personnel and family members to leave Israel 'due to safety risks.'

'On February 27, 2026, the Department of State authorized the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of US government personnel from Mission Israel due to safety risks,' the embassy said on its website.

'Persons may wish to consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are available,' it added.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee sent an email to embassy staff on Friday morning saying that those wishing to leave 'should do do TODAY', the New York Times reports.

'Focus on getting a seat to anyplace from which you can then continue travel to DC, but the first priority will be getting expeditiously out of country,' he was quoted as writing.

Trump, who ordered strikes on Iran last year, has repeatedly threatened Tehran with fresh military action if it does not cut a deal with the United States.

Iran said Friday that in order to reach a deal, the US will have to drop its 'excessive demands', tempering the optimism expressed after ongoing Oman-mediated talks seen as a last-ditch bid to avert war.

It comes after diplomatic negotiations between American and Iranian officials collapsed on Thursday in Geneva amid disputes over the Islamic regime's nuclear program.

The latest round of talks ended without a deal as both sides remained divided over key issues, including ending uranium enrichment, and dismantling Iran's nuclear facilities, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the American delegation as the President makes one last push for a diplomatic solution to avoid military conflict with Iran.

Trump on February 19 gave Iran 15 days to reach a deal, and while Iran has insisted the discussions focus solely on its nuclear programme, the US wants Tehran's missile programme and its support for militant groups curtailed.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli