UPDATE – China asks citizens to leave Iran, urges against travel amid tensions with US

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM CHINESE EMBASSY IN ISRAEL

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA)—China on Friday urged its citizens in Iran to leave the country and issued an advisory against travel as tensions with the US continued to rise amid a military buildup in the Persian Gulf.

"In view of the current security situation in Iran, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Iran remind Chinese nationals to refrain from travelling to Iran," China's Consular Department said through Chinese social media company WeChat.

It added that Chinese nationals "already in Iran should heighten security precautions and leave as soon as possible," according to the Beijing-based daily Global Times.

In recent weeks, the US has reinforced its military presence in the region and signaled the possibility of military action to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and curb “its regional allies.”

Tehran has accused Washington and Israel of fabricating pretexts for intervention and regime change, and has warned it would respond to any military attack, even if limited, while insisting that sanctions relief must accompany any restrictions on its nuclear program.

Separately on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Israel said in a statement on WeChat that it advised Chinese nationals in Israel to “closely follow the developments of the situation and the security alerts issued by the Israeli government,” amid security risks.

The embassy urged the Chinese nationals to “maintain a high level of vigilance, strengthen security precautions and emergency preparedness, familiarize themselves in advance with bomb shelters and safe evacuation routes in the vicinity, and ensure the safety of their lives and property.”

The statement also urged Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to "extremely high risk" areas in the near future, specifically the northern border areas and regions adjacent to the Gaza Strip.