The Government of Ghana has announced the immediate closure of its embassy in Tehran as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate.

This decision was made in the interest of safeguarding Ghanaian lives, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who disclosed the development in a post on social media on Monday, 16 June.

“The Mahama administration has, in the interest of the protection of Ghanaian lives, decided to immediately evacuate Ghanaians living in Iran following an escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict,” the minister stated.

“To guarantee the safety of our embassy staff, Ghana’s embassy in Tehran has been closed with immediate effect.”

Mr Ablakwa further disclosed that evacuation efforts are being carried out via Iran’s land borders and will include Ghanaian diplomats, students, professionals, and other nationals currently residing in the country.

He assured that every effort is being made to ensure the safe passage of all affected persons.

He also revealed that the government is closely monitoring the security situation in Israel and may issue further instructions in due course.

“In the interim, we have instructed that embassy operations in Tel Aviv be reduced to the barest minimum, and all Ghanaians in Israel must maintain close communication with our consular department,” he added.

The government reiterated its call for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, stressing that no effort would be spared in protecting Ghanaian lives.