U.S. warns its citizens of travel to Iran

CAIRO – 15 August 2017: The United States’ Department of State warned American citizens of the risks of travel to Iran, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
The U.S. has reiterated and highlighted the risk of arrest and detention for U.S. citizens, particularly dual national Iranian-Americans.

“U.S. citizens should consider postponing planned travel to Iran,” the statement read.
The statement which warns U.S. nationals of travelling to Iran accuses the Iranian authorities of unjustly detaining and imprisoning U.S. citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics, on charges of espionage and posing a threat to national security.

In June 2017, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would take reciprocal action in response to the implementation of Executive Order 13780. This executive order prohibits the issuance of U.S. visas to nationals of Iran and five other countries unless they are either exempt or are issued a waiver.

The Department of State has received reports that Iran is denying visas to U.S. citizens in response.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with Iran and, therefore, cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens there.
The U.S. considers the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, near the border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the provinces of Kurdistan and East-Azerbaijan in the northwest of the country near the Iraqi border unsafe places.