The United States is urging Americans in Iran to leave the country immediately, warning of continued internet outages, security disruptions and the risk of detention as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume nuclear talks.
Americans in Iran
In a recent notice, the U.S. Virtual Embassy Tehran repeated earlier guidance for Americans to depart and advised them to prepare for communication blackouts.
"U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye."
"Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help," the alert added.
The warning
Americans were previously told in January to leave Iran amid widespread unrest and anti-regime protests that left thousands dead.
The latest advisory comes just before U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations are set to restart in Oman, underscoring what officials describe as heightened security risks for Americans inside the country.
The State Department maintains a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Iran and has repeatedly warned of the risk of arbitrary detention and the limited ability to provide consular assistance.
The notice cautioned that increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions and ongoing internet blockages are occurring across Iran.
Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights, the embassy said, urging Americans to consider land routes.
The Agarak/Norduz crossing
The Agarak/Norduz crossing into Armenia was recently opened.
U.S. citizens may remain in Armenia visa-free for up to 180 days with a valid passport.
Turkish crossings at Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi and Esendere/Serow were also open, allowing Americans to stay in Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days.
Turkmenistan’s land borders were described as open but require advance authorization coordinated through the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat.
Azerbaijan’s land borders remain closed to routine traffic, and entry requests would require prior approval through the U.S. Embassy in Baku, with extended wait times expected.
US-Iranian dual nationals
The alert emphasized that U.S.-Iranian dual nationals must depart Iran using Iranian passports, as Tehran does not recognize dual nationality.
It also warned that U.S. nationals face a significant risk of questioning, arrest and detention and that displaying a U.S. passport or evidence of U.S. ties may be grounds for detention.
Americans were advised not to travel to Afghanistan, Iraq or the Pakistan-Iran border region.
The Swiss Embassy in Tehran continues to serve as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.
The United States operates only a virtual embassy in Iran because diplomatic relations were severed after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis.