Zimbabwe evacuated embassy staff from Iran, cricket team finally heads home 

HARARE – Zimbabwe has evacuated officials from its embassy in Tehran, Iran, to neighbouring Armenia as fighting intensifies following joint strikes by the United States and Israel, the presidency said.

Non-essential government staff in the wider Middle East and their families who wish to leave are also being flown back home.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba said Tuesday the decision followed a review of the deteriorating security situation in Iran.

“Following a review of the security situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been jointly aggressed by the United States and Israel, Zimbabwe embassy staff in Tehran has been evacuated to neighbouring state of Armenia for safety,” Charamba said.

“Non-essential members of staff are being flown home. Similarly, Zimbabwe is in touch with all its missions in the Middle East to assess their security requirements and those of Zimbabweans in the region.”

The ministry of foreign affairs has also urged Zimbabwean citizens in the region to register with the nearest embassy and limit their movements in accordance with regulations issued by host governments.

The United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials in the first wave of strikes.

Iran has since responded by firing missiles at American military facilities in neighbouring countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, effectively closing much of the region’s airspace and grounding flights.

The disruption briefly stranded Zimbabwe national cricket team in India after their elimination from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, as their connecting flight had been scheduled to depart from Dubai in the UAE.

On Wednesday, Zimbabwe Cricket said the team had begun travelling home after making alternative arrangements.