Germany’s Foreign Ministry issued a warning to its citizens on Thursday (August 28), urging them to evacuate Iran immediately and avoid traveling to the country amid concerns that Iran may retaliate against the EU’s reactivation of UN sanctions.
The German Foreign Ministry stated on its official website that due to repeated public threats from the Iranian government to take retaliatory action if the UN reimposes sanctions on Iran, the risk of retaliation against Germany’s national interests and the safety of its citizens in Iran cannot be ruled out.
Citizens are reminded by the German Foreign Ministry that the German Embassy in Tehran is currently unable to provide full services and can only offer limited consular assistance. Help may be restricted in case of emergencies, so people are advised to stay vigilant.
On August 28, the UK, France, and Germany officially initiated a 30-day process to prepare for the reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran related to its controversial nuclear program.
Just hours after the three European countries announced the activation of the “snapback mechanism” to swiftly reimpose sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote to EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, reiterating Iran’s readiness to restart fair and balanced diplomatic negotiations if the West demonstrates goodwill and sincerity, and refrains from actions that could undermine the chances of successful negotiations.
Previously, Iran had warned multiple times that it would respond harshly if sanctions were reinstated, and even consider withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
These developments come after Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June, potentially escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
This article referenced reports from Reuters.