European countries urge their citizens to leave Iran

ISTANBUL

European countries, including Italy, Poland, Germany and Spain, have called on their citizens Wednesday to leave Iran over security concerns amid ongoing anti-government protests in the country.

Around 600 Italians are in the country, mostly in Tehran, said the Italian Foreign Ministry in a statement, adding that Rome "strongly reiterates its call on Italian citizens in Iran to leave the country."

Issuing a warning on US social media company X, the Polish Foreign Ministry advised against all travel to Iran.

Germany also warned citizens against traveling to Iran, and urged those already in the Islamic republic to depart.

"There is a risk of arbitrary arrest," the German Embassy in Tehran said in a statement.

"Due to the highly unstable situation in Iran and the region, travel to Iran is strongly discouraged. Spaniards currently in Iran are advised to leave the country using available means," the Spanish Foreign Ministry said in a travel advsory.

Iran has been rocked by waves of protests since last month, starting Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several other cities.