The United States on Monday joined Canada in warning its citizens not to travel to Iran “for any reason,” as the Middle East country trades strikes with Israel in an increasingly deadly conflict that could tip into all-out war.
An alert issued by the U.S. State Department says American citizens should depart Iran immediately if they are there, though warned Iranian airspace is closed and those seeking to depart will need to travel to a neighbouring country through a land border crossing.
“U.S. citizens who are unable to depart Iran should be prepared to shelter in place for extended periods,” the alert says.
“U.S. citizens in Iran face serious, increasing dangers due to rising regional tensions.”
U.S. President Donald Trump posted late Monday on Truth Social that “everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
The travel alert was issued the same day that Israel struck Iran’s state television station in the capital Tehran after warning hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate.
Israel and Iran have traded strikes for four consecutive days after Israeli forces attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities early Friday, killing top Iranian generals and scientists.
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A separate travel advisory updated Monday warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Israel, Gaza or the West Bank “due to armed conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest.”
Canada on Sunday updated its own advisories for Iran and Israel, telling Canadians to avoid all travel and warning that further attacks were possible.
The Israel advisory warns that flights in and out of Israel are cancelled until further notice.
Both the Iran and Israel notices say Canadians should update their travel documents if necessary and identify the closest bomb shelter, or shelter in a “hardened structure away from windows” if no bomb shelters are available when air raid sirens go off.
Canadians are also advised to avoid all travel to Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Yemen and Iraq as of Sunday due to “ongoing hostilities in the Middle East.”
Global Affairs Canada said it would begin providing daily updates on the situation in the Middle East — including information and advice for Canadians stranded in Iran and Israel — starting late Monday.
Neither Canada or the U.S. have diplomatic or consular services in Iran. Canada’s embassy in Turkey provides limited consular services for Canadians in Iran, while Switzerland’s embassy in Tehran serves as a protecting power for the U.S.
The U.S. alert says citizens wishing to leave Iran can currently do so by entering Turkey or Armenia by land and securing commercial flights out of the region.
It says Azerbaijan’s borders are currently closed, but that U.S. citizens may be able to enter through the Astara border crossing with special authorization through the U.S. embassy in Baku.
Special authorization is also needed to enter Turkmenistan, which can be requested through the U.S. embassy in Ashgabat.
So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured in Iran’s retaliatory attacks, Israeli officials said. At least eight people were killed by Iranian strikes on Monday.
The Washington, D.C.-based Iranian advocacy group Human Rights Activists says it has documented more than 400 people killed in Iran by Israeli strikes, including 197 civilians.
Iranian health authorities have reported that 1,277 people are wounded.
—with files from the Associated Press
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