US to close consulate in Pakistan’s Peshawar citing safety concerns

Shiite Muslims disperse after riot police fired tear gas shells during their attempt to storm the US embassy in Islamabad on March 1, 2026 following the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei amid US-Israel strikes. (AFP)

PESHAWAR: The United States will close its consulate in ​Pakistan’s Peshawar, citing the safety of its diplomats, the State Department said in a statement published on Tuesday.
The US embassy in ‌Islamabad will ‌handle all ​diplomatic engagement ‌with ⁠Khyber ​Pakhtunkhwa province, ⁠where Peshawar is the capital, the State Department said.
“This decision reflects our commitment to the safety of ⁠our diplomatic personnel and ‌efficient ‌resource management,” the statement ​said.
Khyber ‌Pakhtunkhwa borders Afghanistan, and ‌has seen attacks and fierce fighting between Pakistan forces and what Islamabad says are ‌Afghan-backed militants.
Ten people were killed in March ⁠when ⁠protesters breached the outer wall of the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes on Iran.