Bulgaria: In a swift diplomatic maneuver echoing the escalating regional volatility, Bulgaria has shuttered its embassy in Tehran, pulling its diplomatic contingent and their families from the Iranian capital as the Iran-Israel conflict intensifies. The move, confirmed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, underscores the growing apprehension among international players caught in the crosscurrents of the Middle East’s deepening crisis.
The decision was not made lightly. Prime Minister Zhelyazkov revealed that the Bulgarian embassy found itself unsettlingly close to a district in Tehran that Israel had advised residents to evacuate. "The Bulgarian embassy is in the immediate vicinity of this area and we decided to have our diplomats leave the country," Zhelyazkov stated, emphasizing the priority placed on the safety of diplomatic personnel.
A convoy of 12 individuals, including embassy staff and their families, embarked on a six-hour journey by road to the Iranian border, followed by another six-hour wait for border checks, before reaching the relative safety of Azerbaijan. The embassy's operations will now temporarily continue from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, a strategic pivot reflecting the urgent need to maintain diplomatic presence while ensuring security.
This abrupt relocation by Bulgaria comes as numerous nations scramble to evacuate their citizens and diplomatic staff from both Iran and Israel, grappling with disrupted airspace and a rapidly deteriorating security landscape. The region has been gripped by heightened hostilities, with reports of intensified strikes and counter-strikes between the two long-standing adversaries.
Bulgaria's decisive action serves as a stark reminder of the widening repercussions of the Iran-Israel conflict, compelling even distant nations to reassess and recalibrate their presence in a region teetering on the edge.