What South Africans need to know about travel to Iran during the conflict

The escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which now includes the US that carried out attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran, has resulted in a number of travel advisories and alerts that SA travellers should note.

Previously, on June 15, the Department of International Relations (Dirco) urged all South Africans in Iran to contact the Embassy in Tehran to ensure they are registered with and that their whereabouts are known to the Embassy.

“It is important to note that South Africa’s support in the country is limited and that it could be assumed that no face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency, and the South African Government may not be able to help you if you get into difficulty, depending on your location.

“Therefore, citizens are further encouraged to assess their own safety and security and act accordingly.”

Following Israeli strikes on Iran in the early hours of June 13, airspace in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Israel has been closed.

According to Flightradar24, the closures affect approximately 3 000 flights per day through cancelled flights or re-routes.

Emirates and Qatar Airways are among the few airlines that have issued travel advisories for travellers and have had to suspend their flights.

Emirates said on Saturday that due to the regional situation, they have temporarily suspended all flights to Iran (Tehran) and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra), until and including Monday, June 30.

“Customers connecting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq and Iran will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice. Customers impacted by flight cancellations must contact their travel agency for rebooking. If booked directly with Emirates, please contact us.”

They also urged travellers departing or arriving at Dubai International Airport to check their flight status on emirates.com for the latest information.

Qatar Airways said they have temporarily cancelled flights to Iran, Iraq and Syria.

The affected airports in Iran include Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA), Mashhad Airport (MHD), and Shiraz Airport (SYZ).

In Iraq, the affected airports are Baghdad Airport (BGW), Erbil Airport (EBL), Basra Airport (BSR), Sulaymaniyah Airport (ISU) and Najaf Airport (NJF).

In Syria, the affected airport is Damascus International Airport (DAM).

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against all travel to Iran.

“If you are a British national already in Iran, either resident or visitor, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying. British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention. Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you,” they said.

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