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U.S. Launches Iran Travel Risk Website and Elevates Advisory to Level 4

Officials warn that no U.S. diplomatic presence in Tehran coupled with Iran’s rejection of dual citizenship leaves Americans without consular protections

Emad Shargi smiles during a group photo after he and others who were released in a prisoner swap deal between US and Iran disembark from an airplane at Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on September 19, 2023.
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Overview

  • The State Department upgraded its travel guidance to Level 4: Do Not Travel, urging all Americans to cancel trips to Iran due to mounting security threats
  • A dedicated website at state.gov/do-not-travel-to-Iran centralizes warnings, guidance and real-time updates on detention and terrorism risks
  • Iran’s policy of denying dual nationals consular access heightens vulnerability of Iranian-American travelers to arbitrary detention
  • With the U.S. lacking an embassy in Tehran, Switzerland serves as the protecting power but cannot guarantee timely aid for detained citizens
  • Former detainee Emad Shargi joined the announcement to share his five-year imprisonment and underscore the high stakes of wrongful arrest