Islamabad, Jun 17 (PTI) Pakistan has recalled families of diplomats and some non-essential staff from Iran amid escalating tensions in the region, an official said Tuesday.

"The staff members identified as non-essential have been instructed to return to Pakistan along with their families," the Foreign Ministry official said, adding that arrangements have been made to facilitate the safe return of the staff.

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However, the official said that Pakistan Embassy in Tehran and its Consulates will continue to remain functional.

Earlier, a total of 78 Pakistanis, including 47 students, returned to Pakistan through the Taftan border on Tuesday, raising the total number of repatriated citizens to 1,200.

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According to Express News, during the last two days, 987 pilgrims and students have been safely brought back.

The region was plunged into war after Israel launched attacks on Iran on June 13, killing key military leaders.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)