Bulgaria's diplomatic mission in Tehran has been evacuated. The embassy will be temporarily relocated to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced this to journalists in Sofia.

Seventeen Bulgarians, 12 of whom are diplomats, have already been transported to safety.

'Following a warning from the Israeli armed forces that all residents of District 3 of Tehran should evacuate, we decided to evacuate all Bulgarian citizens and diplomats from the country, as the embassy is located in close proximity to this district. We have called on all Bulgarians who wish to join the convoy to do so. Despite delays at the border, the group of 11 vehicles has reached Azerbaijan. Our compatriots are in Baku and will return home by land and air,' said Zhelyazkov.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry said that two other Bulgarian citizens had also been successfully evacuated from Iran.