Pakistan urges citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Iran amid protests

• Citizens urged to stay in regular contact with Pakistani missions.
• Advisory issued amid anti-government protests in parts of Iran.
• Khamenei says govt will 'not back down' in face of protests.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has issued a travel advisory for Pakistani nationals regarding Iran, urging citizens to avoid all unnecessary travel to the West Asain country until the security situation improves.

According to the advisory issued on Saturday, Pakistani nationals currently residing in Iran have also been advised to exercise extreme caution, remain vigilant, and minimise non-essential movement.

The travel advisory has been issued amid anti-government protests and unrest in Iran, against what the protesters claim is "increasing prices and economic difficulties", according to media reports.

"For their safety and security, Pakistani nationals are advised to avoid all unnecessary travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until conditions improve," the advisory read.

The government has also urged them to stay in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions in the country.

"Pakistani nationals currently residing in Iran are urged to exercise extreme caution, remain vigilant, minimise non-essential travel, and stay in regular contact with the Pakistani Missions."

The FO also shared multiple landline and mobile contact numbers of Pakistan's embassy in Tehran and consular offices in Zahidan and Mashhad. Citizens have been advised to use these contacts in case of any urgent situation.

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani reported significant damage to the capital’s infrastructure. He said rioters have targeted 26 banks, two hospitals, 25 mosques, police facilities and 48 fire trucks.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday, insisted that the government would "not back down" in the face of protests after the biggest rallies yet in an almost two-week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living.

Reacting to the unrest, US President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran’s leaders, saying that the US could come to the protesters’ aid.

“I just hope the protesters in Iran are going to be safe, because that’s a very dangerous place right now,” he added.

Iran, in a letter to the UN Security Council, blamed the US for turning the protests into what it called "violent subversive acts and widespread vandalism".

Moreover, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, on a visit to Lebanon, accused Washington and Israel of "directly intervening" to try to "transform the peaceful protests into divisive and violent ones". 

While sharing a thread of tweets on his official X handle on Saturday, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam dubbed the protests a "conspiracy", saying: "...this latest conspiracy, like all previous ones, will be defeated, and the Islamic Revolution will continue its principled and independent path."