Iran branded ‘unpredictable’ as tourists urged ‘reconsider travel’ | World | News
All US citizens currently in the Middle East or thinking about travelling to the region have been issued a major warning. US embassies in the Middle East, including in Jordan, Oman and the UAE, have described Iran as “unpredictable”, and said the regime may attack countries it has not targeted before.
The embassies’ message provided a series of guidelines to both US nationals already in the region and those set to travel there – albeit it urged tourists to reconsider their plans. The statement issued today by the embassies warned that due to the “heightened tensions in the Middle East” it is not possible to rule out the “potential for unforeseen escalation”.
The message also read: “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions. Some airlines in the region have postponed resumption of earlier flight schedules; others have cancelled some routes.
“Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation.”
Those with plans to travel to the Middle East have instead been urged to “seriously reconsider travel to and through the region”.
The embassies said diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted by Iran and groups backed by the regime.
The statement also read: “The situation in the Middle East remains fluid. The Iranian regime is unpredictable, as seen by its recent decisions to attack areas in the region without warning or provocations as well as to expand attacks to areas not previously targeted (such as Egypt). Americans should remain vigilant, as merely because U.S. interests or businesses have not been attacked in a country in the past does not ensure their safety.”
Following the launch of Operation Epic Fury in late February by the US and Israel, Iran launched a series of drone and missile attacks on sensitive targets in the Middle East, heightening fears of a regional war.
While these strikes were paused following a ceasefire reached in April, tensions across the Middle East have flared up again, with Iran seemingly targeting its neighbours with US bases and facilities on their soil once again.
