US urges Americans to avoid Iran, citing ‘severe risks’ and arbitrary detentions

US tells citizens travelling to Iran is 'not safe for anyone' (Image: AFP)

The US State Department has issued a travel advisory warning American citizens against visiting Iran, declaring the country “not safe for anyone.” The advisory urges all US nationals particularly those of Iranian descent to avoid travel due to the “severe risks” posed by the Iranian regime.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Thursday, “The department is announcing a new awareness campaign warning Americans, especially Iranian Americans, about the continuing severe risks of travel to Iran. The Iranian regime does not recognise dual nationality and routinely denies consular services to detained US citizens. And while the bombing has stopped, that does not mean that it is safe to travel to Iran, it is not.”

The State Department has also launched a website, state.gov/do-not-travel-to-Iran  providing detailed information about the risks and the regime’s practice of arbitrarily detaining individuals with US ties.

The move comes amid growing concerns over Iran’s treatment of dual nationals and follows several high-profile detentions of Iranian-Americans in recent years.

This came after the conflict between Iran and Israel, which the US joined later, ended in a ceasefire last month after American fighter jets destroyed Iranian nuclear sites, taking its programme back by several years.