🔻Chile closes its embassy in Iran but does not cut diplomatic ties

The Chilean government has announced that it will shut down its embassy in Iran from August 31, but emphasized that the decision does not mean cutting diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Chilean Foreign Ministry says that after the embassy in Tehran is closed, its consular affairs will be handled through the Chilean consulate in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.

The ministry cited as the reason for this decision operational restructuring and prioritizing resources to advance the government’s foreign policy objectives, as well as preventive considerations related to the security situation in the Middle East.

The decision was announced as Francisco Pérez Mackenna, Chile’s foreign minister, is ending his official trip to China, the country’s largest trading partner.

José Antonio Kast, the right-wing president of Chile who has been in power since March, has held positions close to the administration of Donald Trump. However, some members of his government have expressed doubts in recent weeks about the U.S. approach in Latin America.