The Trump administration on Thursday seemed to back off
rhetoric from earlier in the week that positioned the United States to begin
military action against Iran, but some countries in recent days have increased travel
warning levels and some carriers have canceled or limited service to the Middle
East.
The U.S. had been building a case to respond to Iran’s
lethal crackdown that, according to reports, has killed at least 2,400 people in
an attempt to quell mass anti-government demonstrations that have rocked Iran since
late December. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters today
that the U.S. has not put military scenarios aside, but the administration has
backed off immediate action after receiving reports that Iran has held off
additional executions amid mounting U.S. pressure.
“The president and his team have communicated to the Iranian
regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences,”
Leavitt told the White House press room. Numerous news outlets also have
reported, however, that Israeli and Turkish leaders have been in contact with
the president, asking him to hold off on strikes as Iran would be likely to
engage them in local retaliations.
Impact on Travel
Iranian officials closed the country’s air space on
Wednesday night but reopened it today. Regardless, the U.S. has maintained a do-not-travel
recommendation for Iran since Dec. 5. It has no consular presence in the
country. The United Kingdom on Wednesday updated its position in Iran,
withdrawing all staff and operating the embassy remotely. Canada today updated
its travel warnings to the highest level and reiterated on its travel website
that the country had very limited consular activity operating out of Turkiye.
France, Germany, Ireland and Italy—among other European nations—similarly have increased
travel warning levels to Iran in recent days.
The Lufthansa Group, which also owns Austrian Airlines,
Brussels Airlines, Swiss and Eurowings and holds a minority stake in Italy’s
ITA Airways, suspended flights to the Iranian capital Tehran until Jan. 28,
according to media reports.
Additionally, Bloomberg
reported that the group from Jan. 15-19 will operate flights to and from
Tel Aviv and Amman during the day to prevent crews from staying overnight.
Security and duty-of-care solutions provider Global Guardian
on Wednesday, working from intelligence that American strikes on Iran would be “likely
in the coming days,” advised delaying all non-essential travel to the region.
The pullback in rhetoric, which is possibly temporary, doesn’t change that
advice.
Global Guardian also cautioned organizations with assets or
personnel in the region to monitor the political situation and access
contingency plans as “further flight cancellations and disruptions cannot be
ruled out in the near term.”
It also advised foreign nationals in Iran to leave the
country by land—via Armenia or Turkiye—and warned in-country travelers to avoid
all protest sites and limit outdoor activities.
Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates and other global
airlines have canceled flights to the Tehran as tension built with the U.S. Action
or threats may re-escalate, according to Global Guardian leading to additional airlift
restrictions, flight cancellations and suspensions.