Capitals, Feb. 27 (SANA) – China has urged its nationals to leave Iran as soon as possible, citing external security risks, as tensions escalate amid US threats of military action against Tehran if ongoing negotiations fail.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by Agence France-Presse, advised Chinese citizens currently in Iran to enhance personal safety measures and depart at the earliest opportunity, while also warning against travel to the country at this time.
The ministry said Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran and neighboring countries would provide necessary assistance to nationals seeking to leave, either via commercial flights or overland routes.
Separately, the United States Embassy in Israel authorized the departure of non-essential government staff and their family members due to security concerns, urging those wishing to leave to do so while flights remain available.
Although the announcement did not explicitly mention Iran, it comes amid heightened US threats toward Tehran and the largest American military buildup in the region in decades.
The New York Times reported on Friday that US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee emailed embassy staff advising those intending to leave to do so immediately, stressing that securing any outbound ticket should take priority.
In the same context, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern over the risk of military escalation in the Middle East and its impact on civilians, particularly in light of US threats against Iran.
Türk also highlighted Iran’s internal situation during a briefing to the UN Human Rights Council, noting renewed protests at universities following a broad security crackdown last month, and said the situation in Iran remains volatile.
The third round of US-Iran talks took place in Geneva on Thursday under Omani mediation, aimed at reaching an agreement to avert military confrontation.
According to Axios, the negotiations were held in both indirect and direct formats, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi conveying messages between the two sides.
