Norway closes embassy in Iran
Norway has closed its embassy in Tehran due to security concerns after Britain’s embassy was stormed by Iranian protesters, a Norwegian government official said today.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hilde Steinfeld said the decision to close the embassy was taken late yesterday, but Norway’s diplomatic staff have not been evacuated from the country.
Ms Steinfeld would not go into greater detail today, but said the decision came “after security concerns” and “in context with the attack on the British embassy”.
Meanwhile the British Foreign Office confirmed that a number of embassy staff were leaving Tehran today in the wake of the trouble.
An FCO spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made clear that ensuring the safety of our staff and their families is our immediate priority. In light of yesterday’s events and to ensure the ongoing safety, some staff are leaving Tehran.”
When asked how many staff were leaving or if the embassy was going to remain open, he added: “We do not comment on our contingency plans and we will make any announcement about our embassy and staff at the appropriate time.”
