JERUSALEM, Feb 25 (Reuters) – The Australian government has told dependants of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two Middle East countries, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, amid rising fears of military conflict between the United States and Iran.
The Australian government has also offered voluntary departures to dependants of diplomats in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan amid what the foreign ministry described as a “deteriorating security situation in the region”.
U.S. President Donald Trump laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.
Iran and the United States held indirect talks this month as Washington builds up military capability in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases in the region if it is attacked, but Tehran’s top diplomat said on Tuesday that a deal with the U.S. was “within reach” if diplomacy is prioritised.
Further indirect negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials are scheduled to take place in Geneva on Thursday.
There are tens of thousands of Australians estimated to be living in the Middle East, many of them in the UAE, Israel and Lebanon. Last year, the Australian government helped evacuate citizens from Israel during the 12-Day Israel-Iran war.
The Australian government continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving while commercial options are still available, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Canberra did not announce the closure of any of its Middle East embassies or consulates. The Australian government closed its embassy in Tehran last year after expelling Iranian diplomats in June 2025, accusing the Iranian government of directing antisemitic attacks against Australian Jews.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Alex Richardson, Alexandra Hudson)
Comments