With the situation in Iran only appearing to get worse, the British government has decided to evacuate the families of embassy employees Tehran. London is also warning British citizens against traveling to the Islamic Republic.

The Foreign Office said today it was evacuating the families of embassy staff in Iran and advised against all non-essential travel to the country after the violent crackdown on street protests following the disputed presidential election.

The decision comes after the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday described Britain as the “most treacherous” of Iran’s enemies and blamed foreign interference for the unrest in the country.

In response, Iran’s ambassador to London was summoned to the Foreign Office and told that Khamenei’s remarks were unacceptable. Gordon Brown later condemned the “repression” and “brutality” used against the protesters.

The Foreign Office said today: “The ongoing violence has … had a significant impact on the families of our staff, who have been unable to carry on their lives as normal. As a result, we are withdrawing dependants of embassy staff until the situation improves.

“We do not believe that it is necessary to reduce the number of staff at this time; however, we are monitoring the situation with the utmost vigilance. The security of our staff is of paramount importance.”

As Ed Morrissey points out, this isn’t just a move out of concern for safety — it’s a diplomatic move and another slap to the face of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei. Britain has been a frontrunner in criticism of the Iranian regime. The embassy staff remains in Tehran for strategic purposes, but non-essential residents are taken out of the country for symbolic and safety purposes.