Britain temporarily closes embassy in Tehran

LONDON -- The British government updated its Foreign Travel Advice for Iran on Wednesday, announcing the temporary withdrawal of staff from its embassy in Tehran due to security concerns.

In a precautionary move, the British government said it had temporarily withdrawn British personnel from its embassy there, adding that "the embassy continues to operate remotely."

The updated advisory warns that "the situation could escalate quickly and poses significant risks," reiterating its advice against all travel to Iran.

The warning noted that the British government's support is extremely limited in Iran. "No face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency and the UK government will not be able to help you if you get into difficulty in Iran," it added.