The United States is urging its citizens to leave Iran immediately as President Donald Trump signals that a major decision on the war could be approaching and Tehran warns that any new American attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East.
The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran issued a fresh security warning over the weekend, citing the risk of a sudden escalation in a conflict that has already disrupted air travel, oil exports and shipping across the region. "Do not travel to Iran for any reason. U.S. citizens should leave Iran now," the notice said. The State Department has long classified Iran at its highest "Do Not Travel" level.
"Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation," the warning said. Americans in the region were advised to remain alert for flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.
The alert comes as Trump has publicly raised the prospect of further military action against Iran. In comments reported by Fox News, the president said he was in a "deciding mode" and that "very big things" could happen soon.
"My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave," Trump said, according to Fox News. The remarks were a threat rather than an announcement that a new military operation had been authorized, and the White House hasn't publicly disclosed a decision to launch another large-scale strike.
Trump has simultaneously left open the possibility of diplomacy. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected in New York for this week's United Nations General Assembly, and Trump said he would be willing to meet him. The U.S. has approved travel for a core Iranian delegation to attend the gathering despite the ongoing conflict.
The juxtaposition of military threats and potential talks has become a recurring feature of the conflict. Reuters reported that Trump told Fox News Iran's leadership faced a choice between reaching an agreement, enduring further economic deterioration or risking its leadership being wiped out, while still indicating that a meeting with Pezeshkian was possible.
Iran's military responded with its own warning Sunday, saying it had intelligence suggesting that the U.S. was preparing another large-scale attack. It didn't disclose evidence supporting that assertion, and Washington hasn't confirmed such preparations.
"If the U.S. makes any mistake against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all its positions and interests in the region will be targeted by sustained, effective and painful attacks," Iranian forces said.
Iranian commanders also warned countries in the region that they could be treated as participants in the conflict if they assist an American attack. Reuters reported that Tehran said Washington's regional allies would be considered parties to the conflict if they supported another strike.
Hossein Mohebbi of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps separately warned that Tehran could broaden both the weapons and geographic scope of its response. "If a new aggression occurs," he said, Iran "will certainly change the weaponry and the geography of the war."
The latest U.S. warning also cited fighting involving Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, whose recent attacks on Saudi Arabia have widened the regional security threat. The State Department said the Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi targets, including civilian airports, and warned that the conflict "has the potential to escalate rapidly."
Recent Houthi missile and drone attacks have coincided with military gains by the group in Yemen, adding pressure on Saudi Arabia and threatening shipping around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Iran has also restricted much of the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, worsening disruptions to Gulf energy exports.
