Irish mother and two children evacuated from Iran
A mother and two children are the three Irish citizens or dependents who have been safely evacuated from Iran after the US joined Israel’s bombing campaign on the country.
It comes after a separate successful evacuation of 15 Irish citizens or dependents from Israel on Sunday.
Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris said the US attack was an “extraordinarily dangerous escalation” in an already “volatile” situation in the Middle East.
He is attending a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels, where the growing crisis in the Middle East was high on Monday’s agenda.
In a statement, Mr Harris said those who had left Iran will now “travel home”.
“I want to extend our gratitude to our European friends and partners for their excellent support.”
He added: “Throughout this crisis, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our embassies have remained in regular contact with Irish citizens in the region.”
Tensions in the Middle East boiled over 11 days ago when Israel launched strikes on Tehran, targeting the country’s nuclear programme.
Israel and Iran have been exchanging strikes with one another since, rekindling fears of a full-scale conflict.
On Saturday the US joined in, sending planes and submarines to attack Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, areas linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
Tehran threatened to retaliate, while US President Donald Trump warned of further action if necessary.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr Harris said there was a real risk of the crisis in Iran and Israel of “spilling over and broadening”, as he reiterated a call for Europe to play a role in de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue.
He said there are international laws in place against strikes on nuclear sites as he described the “unhelpful intervention” of the US as adding “a significant level of danger to an already volatile situation”.
“The only way, I believe, to make progress in relation to stopping an already tinderbox-type situation getting worse, is to get back to a negotiated situation.”
Mr Harris also said he would also be calling for “swift and concrete actions” in response to the EU’s review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
“It is clear from that review that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations under Article Two.
“And it’s not good enough just to say somebody’s in breach, and it’s a consequence free zone.
“If a review finds a breach, consequences must flow from that.”
Mr Harris said the Irish position was that agreement should be immediately suspended but added that there would not be consensus across the bloc on that.
“So what we have to do is work on what can be achieved here.”
EU ministers are expected to discuss the latest developments, the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the review of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Among the other topics to be discussed are the Russian invasion of Ukraine, EU engagement with China, and Georgia.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha will also attend the summit and provide an update.
The discussion on China is expected to prepare for the upcoming EU-China Strategic Dialogue and EU-China Summit.
Domestically, Mr Harris said he would be bringing the general scheme of a Bill restricting trade of goods with the Occupied Palestinian Territories to Cabinet on Tuesday.
Amid criticism of the scope of the legislation, he said he remained “very open” to including restrictions on services also but added that he needed to get legal clarity on whether that was possible.
