
The number of countries warning their citizens to immediately leave Iran has increased recently, as tensions between Washington and Tehran rise and the US military buildup in the Middle East continues.
The warnings, which continue this week, come as diplomats and mediators prepare for a last-ditch effort to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program. A third round of indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian diplomats is scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.
Over the past month, the US military has significantly increased its presence in the Middle East, including sending some of its largest aircraft carriers, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald Ford.
Here's a list of countries advising their citizens to leave Iran: Australia on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave Iran "as soon as possible" amid threats of a US attack.
"Regional tensions remain high and the risk of military conflict remains. Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of arbitrary detention and the unstable regional security situation," she said.
"The security situation in Iran and the entire region is extremely unstable and very tense. Further escalation and military clashes cannot be ruled out," the German embassy said on Friday.
India and New Delhi said on Monday that all citizens, including students, pilgrims and businessmen, should “exercise due diligence” and leave Iran by all available means. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Poles in Iran to “immediately leave Iran and under no circumstances travel to this country.”
The Serbian Foreign Ministry on Saturday urged citizens not to travel to Iran "for the foreseeable future" and called on those in the country to leave immediately.
In a security statement posted by the South Korean embassy in Iran, officials warned of "rapid escalation of regional tensions," citing the possibility of a US attack on Iran and Tehran's warning of retaliation.
"The situation in Iran and the region is extremely uncertain," Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergaard said in a tweet on Saturday.
According to a senior State Department official, Washington has ordered all non-essential personnel to withdraw from its embassy in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
"We are continuously assessing the security environment and, based on our recent review, we have deemed it prudent to reduce our footprint to only essential personnel," an official said.