Countries issue regional travel advisories over US-Iran tensions

Several countries have begun withdrawing dependents of diplomatic personnel and non-essential staff from some locations in the Middle East, or advising citizens to avoid travel to Iran, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.

This includes several European countries, including Finland, whose foreign ministry advised citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and immediately leave Yemen and Libya in travel advisories updated in late February.

Serbia has told its nationals in Iran to leave as soon as possible due to increased tensions and the risk of a deterioration of the security situation, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told Polish citizens to leave Iran immediately.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry advised its citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and leave the country immediately on 12 January 2026. The foreign minister said in February that people who decided to stay should not expect help from the government to be evacuated.

Cyprus advised its citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and leave the country immediately on January 13, 2026, and Germany has urged its citizens to leave Iran on 20 January, noting commercial flights out are still operating and departure by land is also possible.

Outside of Europe, the Australian government has told dependents of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two countries, citing a deteriorating security situation in the region.

It also offered voluntary departures to Australian diplomats' dependents in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar. It continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving while commercial options remain available.

The US said it is pulling non-essential staff and eligible family members from its embassy in Lebanon amid Iran tensions, according to a senior state department official.

The Indian embassy in Iran advised citizens currently in Iran to leave by available means of transport, including commercial flights, on 23 February.

Singapore advised citizens to continue to defer all travel to Iran.

Brazil recommended last week that its citizens leave Iran, following a similar alert to citizens in Lebanon in January. The government last year recommended that Brazilians not travel to the two countries.