Islamabad/Tehran on June 17, 2025.
According to Pakistani officials and media reports, Pakistan has announced the evacuation of diplomats’ families and non-essential embassy staff from Iran due to rising tensions between Iran and Israel that present serious security risks.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed that on the orders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani embassy operations will continue in Tehran with essential staff only and that dependents and non-critical staff will be evacuated in order to ensure their safety amid cross-border strikes and airspace disruptions. They can find more details by going to ca.news.yahoo.com +2 geo.tv +2alitat and apnews +2.
Behind this Decision
This decision follows an increase in military exchanges between Israel and Iran, with airstrikes and missile interceptions intensifying in Iran as airspace closes for commercial aviation traffic. Pakistan shares 909 km border with Iran along Balochistan; through Taftan crossing it provides safe passage across. Besides buses for evacuation purposes it deploys convoys to transport those fleeing back safely into its borders.
Pakistan had previously provided aid to Pakistani pilgrims traveling through Iran–evacuating around 450 via bus–and is known to have repatriated over 1,000 nationals from Iran and Iraq over recent days, including hundreds of students and pilgrims (apnews.com/+5/6/7/18; arabnews/+5/19/18 and asianews/+5/18/19/18).
Pakistani embassies in Iran and Iraq, along with law enforcement and district officials from border regions have coordinated to coordinate evacuation efforts underway at Taftan Airbase in Iran. At present, these evacuation efforts are coordinated under Operational Logistics at Taftan.
Taftan Border Crossing in Balochistan’s Chaghi District has become the primary entryway into Pakistan, while local administration including deputy commissioner offices have created transit support ‘Pakistan House’ that offers medical attention, food assistance, temporary lodging solutions and travel arrangements to evacuees from across Asia and Europe. (http://thetimes.co.uk asianewsnetwork org asianews network and dawncom)
Reports indicate that approximately 350 evacuees–comprising 45 students and 305 pilgrims–have arrived by June 16, with additional buses and security escorts ensuring their safe passage towards India (asianews.network/1.01/1/1/1). For more details please see dawn.com (+11).
Diplomatic Reasoning and Security Threats
An official from the Foreign Office told Geo News that moving diplomats’ families and non-essential staff out of Tehran is a calculated measure to minimize risk while assuring essential functions at Tehran embassy remain in operation.
This dual approach aligns with international actions: many governments are taking steps to remove dependents from Iran and Israel while maintaining operational staff at both sites apnews.com
Pakistan strongly condemned Israeli missile strikes against Iranian soils, calling for de-escalation and labelling the attacks against Tehran and civilian areas “unjustified” ca.news.yahoo.com
Additionally, they called upon the international community to act swiftly in order to avoid regional conflict.
Perspectives from Islamabad and Tehran
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has assured that evacuations are well underway and carefully coordinated through the Crisis Management Unit of his ministry (as per The Diplomatic Insight or Arab News).
Dar emphasized that although families would temporarily relocate, core diplomatic and consular operations in Tehran would continue uninterrupted.
Local Balochistan authorities also reiterated this position, making sure evacuees receive adequate assistance before being transported to Quetta or Islamabad for relocation. (Geo.tv; Asianews.network; dawn.com +1;
Security personnel have been deployed at checkpoints in order to facilitate an efficient transition, according to officials overseeing this effort.
Regional Disruptions as Context for Political Interventions
Due to closed air corridors in the Middle East, land-based transit routes have gained prominence. Italy, Poland, Russia, China and Taiwan are utilizing land borders with Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan in order to evacuate citizens (Breakfast.com and APnews.com respectively).
Pakistan has increasingly become an evacuation hub due to its geopolitical position and established border infrastructure.
Next Steps and Outlook
Pakistan intends to continue monitoring regional dynamics closely and maintain flexible support measures, should conditions deteriorate further posing an imminent risk to remaining embassy staff. In such an instance, more drastic measures such as full withdrawal could be enacted.
At present, Pakistan’s evacuation of diplomats’ families and non-essential staff from Tehran represents a pragmatic response to increasing instability that aims at both protecting its citizens and maintaining a diplomatic presence there.