Families of Australian diplomats directed to leave Israel and Lebanon
As tensions rise again in the Middle East, relatives of officials working in Israel and Lebanon have been directed by the Australian government to leave the country.
Updated advice on Smartraveller for both countries states that this instruction was issued “in response to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.”
The interim measure comes after regional tensions escalated again as the United States concentrated its biggest military firepower in the Middle East in decades ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Australian embassies in Tel Aviv and Beirut will remain open and the general advice to travelers will remain “re-evaluate your travel needs” due to the unforeseen situation in the Middle East that could lead to airspace closures, flight cancellations and travel disruptions.
While Smartraveller’s advice for Iran remains “do not travel”, Australians within the country have been advised to leave as soon as possible.
The Australian Government has also expanded the scope of voluntary departure for dependents of Australian officials serving in three other regions in the Middle East: Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Similar warnings were made last year, when tensions in the region increased.
Australian Embassies in Amman, Doha and Abu Dhabi, as well as the Consulate in Dubai, are open as usual.
About a month ago, Iranians experienced the bloodiest crackdown on dissidents in the country’s modern history. Thousands of people were killed in the conflict, and estimates range from 7,000 to 32,000.
As Iranians await the outcome of the Geneva talks, many fear the outbreak of a war that could surpass Iran’s bloody conflict with Iraq in the 1980s and see it as the last chance for its ruling theocracy to reach a deal with US President Donald Trump.
The prospect of a war with the United States has fractured a population that includes hard-line supporters of the theocracy and those who see Iran as a country, especially as it is still reeling from a devastating 12-day war with Israel in June and thousands of people were killed and arrested during last month’s protests.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday
