The United States has issued a strong warning to American citizens in Iran, asking them to leave the country without delay. The advisory said protests across Iran are “escalating” and could “turn violent”, posing serious risks to safety and daily life.
In its alert, the virtual US embassy in Tehran said, “Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on US government help.”
“US citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing Iran by land to Türkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so,” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday. This was the third such warning issued in just five days.
Protest crackdown claims thousands of lives
The warning comes as violence linked to protests continues to rise across Iran. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) organisation said Iranian security forces have killed at least 3,428 protesters during the ongoing crackdown.
The group also said that more than 10,000 people have been arrested. According to IHR, at least 3,379 of the deaths occurred during the peak of the protest movement between January 8 and 12.
IHR explained that the sharp increase in the death toll followed new information received from within Iran’s health and education ministries.
Rights group warns toll could be higher
IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam strongly criticised the response of Iranian authorities. He condemned the “mass killing of protesters on the streets in recent days”.
The organisation warned that even the updated figure represents an “absolute minimum” and that the actual number of deaths could be much higher.
Trump keeps all options open on Iran
Meanwhile, the White House said the US administration continues to closely monitor the situation. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is keeping “all options on the table” when dealing with Iran.
She said this includes the possibility of military action, though diplomacy remains the preferred path.
“I think one thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table, and airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the Commander in Chief. Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” Leavitt said.
Tensions remain high
With protests spreading and the death toll rising, tensions between the United States and Iran remain high. The situation on the ground continues to evolve, with safety concerns growing for foreign nationals inside the country.