United States Orders Its Citizens to Leave Iran

The United States Department of State has issued an urgent security alert urging all U.S. citizens currently in Iran to leave the country immediately. At the same time, it has stated that no assistance from Washington should be expected in this regard.

Since late December, widespread unrest has been ongoing across Iran, resulting in fatalities in clashes with authorities. In an effort to control the situation, Tehran has imposed strict restrictions and shut down mobile and internet networks, accusing foreign-backed forces of spreading violence.

On Monday (January 12), the U.S. Virtual Embassy Tehran said in a statement, “Leave Iran now.” The statement urged citizens to conduct their own risk assessments and make travel plans, adding, “If you decide to leave the country, the U.S. government will not be able to ensure your safety.”

The warning stated, “U.S. citizens in Iran face a high risk of interrogation, arrest, and detention.” It further noted that merely carrying a U.S. passport could be grounds for detention. Dual nationals were instructed to leave the country using only an Iranian passport.

For those unable to leave, advice was given to take shelter inside their homes or another secure building and to stockpile food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies.

Since the summer of 2025, tensions have remained high between Tehran, Washington, and West Jerusalem (Israel). During that period, the United States became involved in conflict with Iran alongside Israel and carried out airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities. President Donald Trump claimed the strikes were carried out to prevent Iran from producing a nuclear weapon, a claim Tehran has denied.

Last week, Trump publicly stated that his administration is considering “very strong options,” including possible airstrikes, which he said remain “one of many options on the table.”

In response, Iranian officials warned that if Washington intervenes, U.S. and Israeli military bases and personnel would become “legitimate targets.”

Tehran further claimed it possesses evidence of foreign-backed infiltrators—including Mossad agents—who are attempting to create chaos inside the country in order to provide the United States with a pretext for intervention.