The United States has decided to permanently close its consulate in Peshawar, a diplomatic mission that has long served as Washington’s closest post to the Afghan border.
The US State Department has informed Congress of the decision, saying the move will save about $7.5 million annually.
According to a notification sent to Congress and obtained by The Associated Press, the US State Department this week formally announced its intention to shut down the consulate.
The department said the closure would reduce operating costs while not affecting the ability of the United States to pursue its national interests in Pakistan. Officials stated that consular functions and diplomatic work will continue through the US Embassy in Islamabad.
The Peshawar consulate has historically played a major strategic role for the United States, particularly due to its proximity to Afghanistan.
It served as America’s closest diplomatic mission to the Afghan border and functioned as a primary operations and logistics hub before, during, and after the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
Because of its location near Kabul and the Afghan border, the consulate was also a key transit point for overland travel into Afghanistan.
Services will shift to Islamabad
Following the closure, consular services for US citizens and others will be handled by the US Embassy in Islamabad, located about 114 miles from Peshawar.
The State Department said the change would not negatively affect assistance to US citizens or oversight of foreign aid programs in Pakistan.
“All core functions will continue to be performed by the US Embassy in Islamabad,” the notification said.
Cost savings, closure expenses
The State Department estimates the closure will save approximately $7.5 million per year. However, the department will spend around $3 million to shut down the facility.
More than half of that amount — about $1.8 million — will be used to relocate armored trailers that served as temporary office space at the consulate.
Additional costs will cover the transfer of vehicles from the consulate’s motor pool, telecommunications equipment, electronics, and office furniture to the US Embassy in Islamabad and the remaining US consulates in Karachi and Lahore.
The Peshawar consulate currently employs 18 American diplomats and government personnel, along with 89 local staff members, according to the notification dated Tuesday.
Decision linked to broader State Dept cuts
The move is part of a wider downsizing effort by the Trump administration, which began more than a year ago as part of a restructuring of federal agencies.
Officials said the closure is not related to the ongoing war involving Iran, despite protests that have recently taken place in Pakistani cities such as Karachi and Peshawar.
During these protests, US consulates temporarily suspended operations for security reasons.
First overseas diplomatic mission to close
The State Department’s restructuring has already led to thousands of diplomatic personnel being dismissed and the near-total dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
However, the Peshawar consulate will be the first US diplomatic mission abroad to be permanently closed as part of the department’s reorganization.
For decades, the consulate in Peshawar served as a critical diplomatic outpost for the United States, providing assistance to American citizens in northwestern Pakistan and helping Afghan nationals seeking US support.
Despite its closure, US officials maintain that diplomatic and consular operations in Pakistan will continue through existing missions in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.
