Parliament Backs Temporary Relocation of Uganda’s Tehran Mission to Baku Amid Iran War
KAMPALA, Uganda – Parliament has approved the government’s proposal to temporarily relocate Uganda’s diplomatic mission from Tehran, Iran, to Baku, Azerbaijan, following the outbreak of war in Iran.
Catherine Lamwaka, Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, presented the report on the 2026/27 Ministerial Policy Statement for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealing that operations at the Tehran Mission were suspended and all diplomatic staff returned to Uganda due to the conflict.
The Committee concurred with the proposed temporary relocation, noting it will ensure continuity in the delivery of consular services and enable the Mission to undertake Economic and Commercial Diplomacy activities, for which funding has been provided in FY 2026/27.
The relocation is particularly crucial for maintaining consular services to Ugandan nationals across the Mission’s area of accreditation, which includes nine other countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kirghizstan, Pakistan, Palestine, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
According to Lamwaka, the choice of Azerbaijan was informed by several factors, including the country’s proximity to Iran (approximately 700 kilometers) and the absence of visa requirements between the two nations. Additionally, Azerbaijan expressed willingness to host Uganda, based on the cordial bilateral relations established during Uganda’s Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement.
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