Embassies close down in Tehran.

Last week, Iranian protesters in Tehran stormed the British Embassy.  According to the Geneva Convention, host nations are responsible for the safety and protection of foreign diplomats on their soil, yet virtually no protection or intervention was provided by Iranian security forces.  In response, the British Foreign Secretary announced the immediate closure of the Embassy and withdrawal of embassy staff. Additionally, he expelled Iranian diplomats from Britain and closed Iran’s London Embassy.  France, Germany, and the Netherlands announced a recall of all diplomats from Tehran for “consultations.”  Norway announced the closing of its Tehran Embassy for “safety reasons.”  A statement by the British Foreign Minister last week demonstrated the urgency of the situation, “We have now closed the British Embassy in Tehran.  We have decided to evacuate all our staff and as of the last few minutes all our UK-based staff have now left Iran” (Yahoo News, November 30, 2011).

Although the Embassy events in Tehran may not be surprising to regular observers of the Middle East, they are interesting in light of Bible prophecy.  Daniel anciently prophesied about the events that would occur in the “last days.”  Daniel 11 speaks of a tenuous relationship between the King of the North (or Beast power mentioned in Revelation) and a King of the South (a confederation of peoples in the Middle East).  As events continue to develop in that part of the world, watch for nations in the Islamic region of North Africa and the Middle East to forge some sort of configuration that will further antagonize Europe and the West.  The events occurring in Tehran may well play into this end-time prophetic scenario.