Pakistan advises citizens to avoid travel to Iran amid Middle East escalation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran and urged those already there to exercise extreme caution, after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Tehran, triggering Iranian retaliation across the Gulf.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said nationals should refrain from unnecessary travel to Iran in view of the “extraordinary situation” following the US-Israel attacks.

“Pakistani citizens in Iran are advised to remain extremely cautious, limit non-essential movement and stay in contact with Pakistani missions,” the spokesperson said.

The advisory came after Washington and Tel Aviv launched joint strikes on Iran earlier in the day, targeting senior leadership and military figures. US President Donald Trump said American forces had begun a “massive” operation against Iran, citing longstanding tensions and security concerns.

Israeli officials said the attacks were pre-emptive and conducted in coordination with Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the assault as necessary to counter what he called an imminent threat from Iran.

The strikes were followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting Israel as well as several Gulf Arab states hosting US military facilities, according to regional authorities and media reports.

Emergency contacts issued

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said its embassy in Tehran and consulates in Mashhad and Zahedan were in close contact with Pakistani nationals.

It issued emergency contact numbers for its missions in Tehran, Zahedan and Mashhad, urging citizens to immediately inform the nearest Pakistani mission in case of any unusual situation.

The government also directed Pakistan’s air traffic controllers to maintain strict monitoring of the country’s airspace, particularly in the Iran-Afghanistan region, sources said.

Pakistani airlines have been instructed not to use Iranian airspace until further notice, the sources added, as several global carriers suspended or rerouted flights amid the escalating conflict.

Regional escalation

Explosions were reported in Tehran following the Israeli strikes, with air raid sirens sounding across the Iranian capital, according to media reports. Iranian authorities said the attacks were carried out jointly by the United States and Israel, and that the US Air Force took part in the operation.

The confrontation marks a sharp escalation in the long-running standoff between Iran and its adversaries over Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran had recently failed to produce a breakthrough.

The widening conflict has raised concerns in neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, about regional security and the safety of their nationals in affected areas.