13 August 2024 , 20:13
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The Government says staff are ’working round the clock to plan for all scenarios to keep British nationals safe’ as tensions grow between Iran and Israel amid fears of an attack
Ministers are drawing up emergency plans to evacuate UK nationals from Israel if Iran attacks.
The Government is increasingly anxious about the threat of an Iranian strike which would widen the conflict in the Middle East. Around 60,000 British nationals are believed to be in Israel.
The Foreign Office is urging against all but essential travel to Israel, while Brits in neighbouring Lebanon have been told they should leave. Keir Starmer called on Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian not to strike in a crunch phone call on Monday evening.
But Iran has hit back at European leaders, including Mr Starmer, accusing the West of being silent about “unprecedented inhumane crime” in Gaza. Responding to a call by the PM, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Iran not to retaliate, Tehran branded it an "excessive request".
Iran is widely expected to retaliate after the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. UK officials are drawing up contingency plans to get Brits out of Israel if the crisis escalates, amid fears a war could engulf the region. This includes investigating emergency flights if commercial planes are grounded.
Several international airlines, including the Lufthansa Group and Swiss International Airlines, have suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut. A UK Government spokesman said: “While we continue to use all diplomatic levers to push for de-escalation, our staff are working around the clock to plan for all scenarios to keep British nationals safe. Our travel advice is constantly updated to reflect the latest guidance."
Embassy teams have been bolstered in the Middle East, with consular staff, Border Force officers and military support on hand to assist Brits in the region. During Monday’s phone call, Mr Starmer warned Mr Pezeshkian that there is a "serious risk of miscalculation" and said war was in no one’s interest. But the Iranian leader said it has the right to respond to the bombing which killed the Hamas official and claimed it would discourage future aggression.
According to state-run news agency IRNA, Mr Pezeshkian said a punishing response is "a right of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression”. He is also reported to have branded Western states "irresponsible” for not criticising Israel.
The European leaders had warned that an attack by Iran could scupper ceasefire talks in Gaza. They backed efforts by Qatar, Egypt and the US to broker a deal to cease fighting and see the return of hostages held by Hamas.