The Foreign Office is drawing up plans to evacuate tens of thousands of British citizens if the conflict in the Middle East escalates, with many travellers currently stranded in Dubai after airspace closures. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that about 200,000 British nationals are in the region, with around 94,000 having registered with the Foreign Office for advice.
More than 50,000 Britons are believed to be in the United Arab Emirates, mostly holidaymakers or business travellers rather than residents. Dubai's airspace is closed, leaving tourists without a way home. The government advises people to follow local instructions and shelter in place, but Whitehall sources said all options are being considered, including evacuation by road to neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, where airspace remains open.
The Ministry of Defence is working with the Foreign Office on an unprecedented consular operation to register people across multiple countries and identify who may need support. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, Israel and Palestine, and against all but essential travel to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to make her first remarks on the crisis on Monday after a weekend of diplomatic calls with regional counterparts, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other G7 foreign ministers. Starmer issued a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, vowing to take steps to defend their interests after Iran's "indiscriminate and disproportionate" missile attacks.
Defence Secretary John Healey said few would mourn the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes. He described the Iranian regime as "evil" and said UK military planes were active in the region to protect British citizens. Healey also noted that 300 UK troops were within a few hundred yards of an Iranian strike on a base in Bahrain, and two missiles were fired towards Cyprus, where thousands of UK personnel are stationed.
