The Foreign Office has issued 17 travel warnings across the Middle East amid fears of chaos across the region if the US were to launch military action against Iran.
The countries listed include Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Turkey, Israel and Palestine.
The FCDO caution reads: “There is a heightened risk of regional tension.
“Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts.
“British nationals should take sensible precautions, considering their own individual circumstances.”
Britons have been advised to read up on guidance detailing “how to prepare for a crisis”, keep tabs on local and international media reports and to stay clear of security or military zones.
The warnings come after the UK pulled a number of personnel out of the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar amid concerns it could be a target for Iranian strikes.
The move follows similar action taken by Washington after an Iranian official warned that American bases would be hit if the US were to launch strikes on the Islamic Republic.
The FCDO has issued 17 travel warnings across the Middle East
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PAAn MoD spokesman said that it would not comment on deployment and basing details over security concerns.
“The UK always puts precautionary measures in place to ensure the security and safety of our personnel, including where necessary withdrawing personnel,” the spokesman said.
Reacting to the withdrawal of personnel, the Qatari Government said it came “in response to the current regional tensions”.
The Gulf state said it would “implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities”.
The UK pulled a number of personnel out of the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar
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The Qatari base is the largest operated by the US in the region, with around 10,000 American staff based there alongside roughly 100 British personnel.
Neither Britain or the US have confirmed how many people will be pulled out of the base.
On Wednesday, the British Embassy in Iran temporarily closed amid the growing tensions in Tehran.
A spokesman told Politico: “We have temporarily closed the British Embassy in Tehran, this will now operate remotely.
Iranian police stand guard in front of the British Embassy in Tehran | GETTY“Foreign Office travel advice has now been updated to reflect this consular change.”
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities temporarily closed its airspace to all flights except international ones to and from Iran with official permission.
According to the Safe Airspace website, the move by the Islamic Republic “may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defence, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic”.
The US already prohibits all American commercial aircrafts from flying in Iranian airspace.
