US reissues warning against travel to Iran, highlights risk of arrest

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) – The US State Department on Tuesday issued a warning against traveling to Iran.

The statement reiterated the risk of arrest and detention of US citizens, especially those with dual Iranian-American citizenship.

“Iranian authorities continue to unjustly detain and imprison US citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics, on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security,” the statement read.

“Iranian authorities have also prevented the departure, in some cases for months, of a number of Iranian-American citizens who traveled to Iran for personal or professional reasons,” it added.

The warning further noted Washington does not have diplomatic or consular relations with Tehran, and the Swiss government, therefore, acts to protect US interests in Iran.

“The US government is concerned about the risks to civil aircraft flying into, out of, within, or over Iran due to hazards from military activity associated with the conflicts in Iraq and Syria,” the report mentioned.

The warning followed President Hassan Rouhani’s threat Tehran would abandon its nuclear deal with world powers within hours if the US continued its policies of “sanctions and coercion.”

Iran’s parliament on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to boost funding for the country’s ballistic missile program as well as the overseas arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The bill passed to chants of “Death to America.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany