Italy urges citizens to leave Iran, calls for heightened caution in region

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Italian Foreign Ministry on Friday urged its citizens to leave Iran, discouraged travel to Iraq and Lebanon, while calling for vigilance in Israel amid ongoing security concerns across the region.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the warnings issued for weeks to Italian citizens in Iran to leave the country and to exercise caution throughout the region due to possible new military activity," the ministry wrote in a statement.

It also discouraged any travel to Iraq and non-essential travel to Lebanon while calling on Italian nationals in Israel to "exercise maximum caution and remain vigilant."

"The security situation remains volatile at the regional level. The other Italian embassies throughout the region remain on high alert and in constant contact with the Crisis Unit, with the shared goal of assisting Italians in need," the statement added.

Similarly, the Greek Foreign Ministry also called on its citizens to" avoid visits, except for absolutely necessary ones, to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Iran."