In response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, a number of European countries are pulling out citizens and embassy staff out of the two countries.
The German government on Friday announced that it had flown 64 of its citizens on two Airbus aircraft from Israel back to Germany. This was after it had already evacuated 345 people in the preceding days.
On the same day, the Irish government closed its embassy in Tehran and moved its staff out of the country, citing the “deteriorating situation.”
Switzerland, Slovakia and Bulgaria made a similar announcements, while the U.K. announced it is pulling embassy staff out of Iran and also offering citizens flights out of Israel.
The withdrawal from the region is happening against a backdrop of intense diplomacy, as European officials try to defuse the deadly conflict.
Last week, Israel launched a series of air strikes on Iran, in an attack aimed at dismantling Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. That’s sparked a sustained ballistic exchange that has now entered its second week, with Iran responding to the Israeli incursions with volleys of missiles aimed at Tel Aviv and other sites.
In what could potentially mark a further escalation of the conflict, the U.S. hasn’t yet decided whether it will also strike targets in Iran and enter the conflict on the side of its long-standing Middle East ally, Israel.
Shawn Pogatchnik and Chris Lunday contributed reporting.
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