The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that government will immediately evacuate Ghanaians living in Iran following an escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict.
The Minister said this is in the interest of protecting Ghanaian lives. The evacuation which will be through land borders covers all Ghanaian diplomats, students, professionals, and other compatriots.
The Minister further disclosed that Ghana’s embassy in Tehran has been closed with immediate effect to guarantee the safety of embassy staff.
Government says it is equally keenly following developments in Israel and will advise shortly.
Embassy operations in Tel Aviv, Israel have also been reduced to the barest minimum.
“All Ghanaians in Israel must maintain close communication with our consular department,” the Minister urged.
Government assured that no effort would be spared in protecting Ghanaian lives and keeping all Ghanaians out of harm’s way.
The Government of Ghana reiterated its demand on both parties to pursue diplomatic options and end hostilities.
Iran and Israel have exchanged missiles since last week with the conflict escalating as Israel claims to have destroyed a third of Iran’s missile launchers.
More now from the IDF’s Effie Defrin, who says Israel’s military has destroyed more than 120 missile launchers – a third of the total number Iran possesses – since it launched its initial attack late last week.
Defrin says the air force destroyed more than 20 last night alone, “minutes before” they were used to send missiles towards Israel.
He says Israel also launched a wave of attacks targeting roughly 100 military targets in Isfahan in central Iran, deploying about 50 fighter jets to strike missile storage facilities, launchers and command centres.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on all Iranians to “stand together, persevere, and confront the criminal aggression to which Iran is subjected”.
Speaking at a meeting of Iran’s parliament on Monday, Pezeshkian said Iran has “given diplomacy a chance and opened the way for negotiations and dialogue”.
“The enemy cannot destroy Iran and its people through murder and terrorism. There are hundreds of other heroes who will carry the banner and continue the path after every targeted attack,” he said.
Pezeshkian also reiterated that his country “does not seek to possess nuclear weapons” but that it has “the right to benefit from nuclear energy and research that benefits its people”.
