Ruters, August 15, 2017 — The Trump administration warned U.S. citizens Tuesday about the risks of traveling to Iran, including the potential for arrest and detention.
“Iranian authorities have detained and harassed U.S. citizens, particularly those of Iranian origin,” reads the reissued State Department notice, which was last updated in August of 2016. “U.S. citizens should very carefully weigh the risks of and consider postponing planned travel to Iran.”
Photo released by the Levinson family.
Iran detains and imprisons U.S. citizens, especially dual citizens, on charges such as espionage and threatening national security, the travel notice says.
The warning adds that Iranian officials have threatened “reciprocal action” in response to Trump’s March executive order, which bars the issuance of visas to citizens of Iran and five other countries.
“The Department of State has received reports that Iran is denying visas to U.S. citizens in response” to the president’s order, the notice reads.
The statement also says that Iran continues to persecute religious minorities, including Christians and others.
The reissued warning comes as the Trump administration conducts a comprehensive review of its Iran policy. Trump said Thursday that Iran is not complying with the spirit of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iranian officials reacted angrily to a sanctions package that the president signed into law this month. The bill punishes Tehran over its ballistic missile program and human rights violations, and applies terrorism sanctions to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
Iran’s parliament voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to boost funding for the country’s ballistic missile program as well as the overseas arm of the IRGC. The bill passed to chants of “Death to America.”
