This photo provided by the US Navy shows a Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet landing on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 22, 2026. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/U.S. Navy via AP)
The Virtual US Embassy in Iran has issued an urgent warning advising American citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing escalating tensions and potential security risks. The alert comes ahead of US-Iran talks in Oman, focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and regional security concerns. Communications blackouts, transport disruptions, and risks of questioning or detention are mounting, and the US government may not be able to provide assistance.
In its latest Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, the US Department of State said Americans face threats including terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest and wrongful detention.
“US citizens in Iran should leave immediately,” the department said, adding that the US government cannot offer normal consular assistance inside the country.
No US embassy, limited help
The State Department said the US has no embassy or consular presence in Iran, sharply limiting its ability to support citizens in an emergency.
The Swiss government acts as the protecting power for US interests in Iran, but only provides limited emergency services. Routine services such as passport renewals and notarial work are no longer available.
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Americans have been warned not to rely on the US government’s help if conditions worsen. “Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on US government assistance,” the advisory said.
Risk of detention and kidnapping
The advisory said US nationals are at serious risk of wrongful detention by Iranian authorities, including dual US-Iranian citizens.
“Having a US passport or ties to the United States can be enough to be detained,” the department said. Some Americans have been held for years on charges such as espionage, with limited access to legal support.
Iran does not recognise dual citizenship and does not allow consular access to detainees who also hold Iranian nationality.
The State Department warned that protests in Iran are common and unpredictable, and have previously turned violent. It also cited the risk of terrorist attacks and threats to civil aviation, with US aviation authorities issuing restrictions for flights in or near Iranian airspace.
The warning comes as Iran and the United States are holding indirect talks in Oman, aimed at reducing tensions and addressing regional and nuclear issues. While diplomatic contacts continue, US officials stressed that the advisory is based solely on safety risks to citizens.
Iran has remained under a Level 4 travel advisory for several years. The State Department said recent developments reinforce long-standing advice that Americans should not travel to Iran under any circumstances.
US citizens currently in Iran were urged to leave while commercial routes remain open and to stay alert to sudden changes in security and travel conditions.
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This photo provided by the US Navy shows a Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet landing on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 22, 2026. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/U.S. Navy via AP) 
