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.