Rising tensions between Iran and Israel have prompted the Dutch foreign office to close the embassy in Tehran on Sunday, as well as the consulate in Erbil in Iraq. Both operations are normally open because it is the start of the working week in those countries.

A decision will be taken later on Sunday about whether to open on Monday.

Dutch flag carrier KLM also said on Saturday it would stop flying directly over Iran or Israel, with the exception of flights to Tel Aviv.

The airline said it had taken the decision because of indications that an Iranian attack on Israel is imminent. “Safety is our highest priority,” the statement said. “We are keeping a close eye on the situation.”

The US says it expects Iran to attack Israel “sooner rather than later”, in retaliation for an air strike that killed top commanders earlier this month. Israel has not said it is responsible for the attack but is widely believed to have been behind it.