Sweden temporarily closes Beirut Embassy amid alarming regional threats

STOCKHOLM – Swedish Foreign Minister, Tobias Billstrom, announced on Friday his country’s decision to temporarily close its embassy in Beirut on security grounds.

Billstrom told Sweden’s TV4 channel that the escalating security situation in the region prompted them to close the embassy for a month period.

The diplomats will leave Beirut temporarily, and will be stationed in the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus in the mean time, he said.

Billstrom noted that the temporary closure could be extended if necessary based on the security developments, and urged Swedish citizens to leave the country for their safety.

“I have said it several times and I say it again: it is necessary for Swedish citizens to leave Lebanon and to refrain from traveling to the country in question,” he stated on X.