Bahrain asks citizens to refrain from traveling to Iran

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday urged its citizens "to totally refrain, under any circumstances" from traveling to Iran.

"Bahrain urges all citizens to totally refrain, under any circumstances, from travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran, due to the widespread unrest, unstable security conditions and severe violence in the cities of Iran," the ministry said in a written statement.

It further called upon "all Bahraini citizens in Iran to leave immediately and to take utmost care and caution," amid developing situation in Iran where thousands of people were protesting against the government for several days.

Thousands of Iranians on Thursday hit the streets in the northeastern cities of Mashhad and Kashmar to protest rising commodity prices and perceived government mismanagement, according to local media reports.

At least 10 people were killed as 377 arrests were made -- 200 from the capital Tehran -- in protests across Iran, state officials said Monday.