Irish citizens evacuated from Israel after US strikes Iran nuclear facilities

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

15 Irish citizens and dependants have been evacuated from Israel after the US launched an attack on Iran.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said the group, evacuated with the help of the Austrian government, will arrive in Ireland in the coming days.

It comes after US planes and submarines attacked Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz on Saturday night, which are linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.

Tehran has threatened to retaliate, while American leader Donald Trump has warned of further US action if necessary.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Mr Harris both called for an “urgent” de-escalation and a negotiated solution on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

They said they are in close contact with their European counterparts ahead of a meeting of EU foreign leaders on Monday and of EU leaders on Thursday and Friday.

Mr Harris, also Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, said the US strikes on Iran was an “extraordinarily dangerous escalation” of the “tinderbox” conflict in the Middle East.

He said he spoke on Sunday with Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, who was “full of anger”.

“He did say to me that it was the view of Iran that the aggressors would have to learn lessons and pay a price,” he told reporters at Government Buildings.

“Of course I articulated in the strongest possible terms that Ireland and the European Union doesn’t want to see that, we want to see people step back from the brink and engage in dialogue.”

Mr Martin said that diplomacy and dialogue is “ultimately the only way to resolve these issues”.

“Iran should commit not to develop nuclear weapons and disavow its nuclear and uranium enrichment programme,” the Taoiseach said.

“Nuclear safety is an issue here, modern warfare is very destructive. It is civilians who ultimately suffer, and that is why we need an end to these wars and bring an end to conflict.”

Mr Martin said the escalation on Sunday should not draw attention away from the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“We shouldn’t lose sight of the catastrophe that is still unfolding in Gaza while the war between Iran and Israel continues,” he said.

“What is happening in Gaza is appalling and a breach of international humanitarian law, and again, innocent civilians and children are being starved there, and we need that to come to an end.”

The Government is in contact with a smaller number of Irish citizens in Iran who had requested an evacuation.

Around 29 Irish citizens in Iran had registered with the Irish embassy and around 200 in Israel. Mr Harris has urged Irish citizens in both Israel and Iran to remain vigilant, monitor developments and register with their nearest Irish embassy.

Staff from Ireland’s embassy in Tehran left the country on Friday, and updates are being provided on more than 300 Irish peacekeepers stationed in Lebanon.

Mr Harris said there were no plans to withdraw Irish troops and that “decisions are being made constantly” to ensure their safety.

When asked whether he supported US President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran, Mr Harris told RTE Radio: “I think it’s resulted in an extraordinarily dangerous escalation of a conflict that already best be described as a tinderbox.

“We’re now entering a moment of particular danger, because I think the chances now of a spiral of escalation are more likely than ever before, and there is a real prospect now of the international community losing all control of this very, very volatile conflict.”

He said it was an “extraordinarily dangerous time” and that it was a warning as to how easily things could change.

“Thank god we woke this morning to the International Atomic Energy Agency saying they haven’t detected any increase in radiation,” he said.

He said that it was “sadly true” that international legal norms are not being adhered to, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s “genocidal activity” in Palestine, and the Iran-Israel conflict.

He said there was a diplomatic process in train and his understanding from readouts was “there was a commitment from the Iranian side to further talks”.

Ahead of a meeting of EU leaders this week, Mr Harris said Ireland and Europe are “fully united in the clear view” that Iran should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

“The way to address this was always through a negotiated solution. Any alternative to that is simply too dangerous for civilians, for the Middle East region and for global security.

“Together with my EU counterparts, we will in the coming hours and days discuss and review the latest developments and consider the next steps Europe can usefully play to support de-escalation.”

Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan said people woke up on Sunday “terrified, really, to be quite honest, about the prospect of what’s unfolding”.

He told RTÉ’s The Week In Politics it is “terrifying” for citizens in Iran and Israel.

“It does take great people to make leaps of faith in particular places in time to come forward, whether it was in relation to (Anwar el-Sadat) in Egypt, and later on in relation to Bill Clinton and what he did, we do now require people to actually get people around the table,” he said.

“Because, ultimately, as the Taoiseach said, this is terrifying – not only for the innocent communities that are living in both countries, but as well as that for the neighbouring countries in the Middle East, who we obviously all hope are not drawn into a much bigger conflict.”