China on Friday called on its citizens to leave Iran “as soon as possible,” warning of “external security risks,” while the United States authorized non-essential employees of its embassy in Israel and their families to leave. France and Britain, for their part, also advised their nationals not to travel to Israel. These moves come at a time of escalating tensions between Washington and the Islamic Republic, with the United States strengthening its military presence in the Middle East and the continuing stalemate in nuclear negotiations.

Published on: 02/27/2026 - 14:46 Last updated: 02/27/2026 - 18:03

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on social media in which it said, “Chinese citizens currently in Iran are advised to strengthen safety measures and leave as soon as possible.” The ministry added, "In light of the current security situation in Iran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy and consulates in Iran remind Chinese citizens of the need to avoid traveling to Iran at the present time."

The ministry indicated that Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran and neighboring countries will provide "necessary assistance" to Chinese citizens seeking to travel, whether via commercial flights or land.

The United States reduces its diplomatic presence in Israel

The US embassy in Jerusalem said Friday that the United States has authorized non-essential embassy employees and their families to leave Israel due to security risks. The embassy did not provide details about the security risks that led to the “permission to leave,” which allows affected employees to decide whether to leave or not. This permission does not amount to the mandatory departure imposed this week on some US Embassy employees in Beirut.

Read also: Geneva receives the Iranian negotiating delegation, amid Trump’s accusations that Tehran is continuing its nuclear ambitions

The New York Times reported that US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told embassy staff in an email that those wishing to leave “should do so today.” The newspaper quoted the ambassador as saying, "There is no need to panic, but it is important for those who want to leave to plan to do so as soon as possible." The embassy declined to comment on the newspaper’s report.

Britain advises against traveling to Israel and the Palestinian territories unless absolutely necessary

For its part, the British Foreign Office on Friday advised its citizens not to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories unless absolutely necessary. London also transferred a number of its diplomatic staff out of Tel Aviv. The British government indicated that it "took a precautionary measure to temporarily transfer some of our employees and their families from Tel Aviv to another location inside Israel."

France reiterates its advice to its citizens not to travel to Israel and the West Bank because of Iran

Today, Friday, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its advice to its citizens not to travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, even for the purposes of tourism or family visits, due to the security situation in Iran.

On its website, the Ministry recommended that French citizens there exercise extreme caution and caution, stay away from demonstrations and gatherings, and familiarize themselves with the locations of shelters.

Military escalation and faltering negotiations

The United States strengthened its military deployment in the Middle East while negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program. The latest round of talks ended Thursday, without any signs of progress. Iran has threatened to attack American bases in the region if it is attacked, and escalation may lead to Israel's participation as well. The two countries fought a 12-day war in June.

Several countries began evacuating the families of diplomats and non-essential employees from some countries in the Middle East, or advised their citizens to avoid traveling to Iran.

France 24/Reuters/AFP

Keywords related to the article

The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.