US to close Peshawar consulate, shift work to Islamabad

The United States will gradually close its consulate in Peshawar and transfer its operations to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, the State Department said, marking a significant shift in Washington’s diplomatic footprint near the Afghanistan border.

In a statement, the department said it would continue its “important diplomatic work” with officials and residents in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while focusing on strengthening economic ties and enhancing security cooperation.

The move follows earlier reporting by the Associated Press that Washington planned to permanently shut the consulate, which has long served as the closest U.S. diplomatic mission to Afghanistan.

The closure is part of a broader restructuring effort within the State Department under the Trump administration, which has included significant budget cuts and reductions in diplomatic staff.

The Associated Press reported that the decision had been under consideration for more than a year as part of efforts to scale down federal agencies, and was not directly linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

The closure makes the Peshawar mission the first U.S. diplomatic post abroad to be fully shut down under the current reorganisation plan.

The U.S. consulate in Peshawar has historically been a strategic outpost due to its proximity to Afghanistan, particularly during periods of heightened military and intelligence activity along the border region.

In recent years, shifting U.S. foreign policy priorities, reduced troop presence in Afghanistan, and broader efforts to streamline diplomatic operations have led to a reassessment of overseas missions, including those in South Asia.

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