Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Russia announced on Sunday that it had pulled several of its citizens out of Iran and temporarily closed its consulate in Tehran. The precautionary measure comes in response to Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian soil, which triggered a retaliatory wave of missile fire directed at Israel, deepening fears of a broader regional escalation.
“Due to the current situation, the consular service of the embassy is temporarily suspending its activities. The resumption of consular services will be announced later,” the Russian embassy in Tehran said on Telegram.
Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said musicians from the Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra were evacuated from Iran.
“The musicians crossed the Azerbaijani border. Yesterday (Saturday), Fyodor Bondarchuk’s film crew left Iran via the same route,” she said on Telegram, referring to the Russian director and actor.
Read also: CDS Lists Nigeria’s Military Needs After Visit To Russia
Russia’s civil aviation authority has directed all airlines to halt flights to Iran and Israel and steer clear of their airspace—as well as that of Jordan and Iraq—until at least June 26. The directive follows official travel advisories issued on Friday amid rising regional tensions.
The move comes in the aftermath of Israel’s unprecedented airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, which Israeli officials say were intended to block Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
In retaliation, Iran launched a series of missile barrages targeting Israeli territory, further stoking fears of a broader conflict.
President Vladimir Putin, who maintains diplomatic relations with both nations, denounced Israel’s actions and cautioned against what he described as a “dangerous escalation” in the already volatile Middle East.