Spain’s Government has warned Spanish citizens not to travel to Iran and Iraq following the increasing tension between the countries and the USA which has been developing over some time and culminated in the assassination of Qassim Soleimani in Baghdad.
On Sunday, huge crowds were seen paying their respects and mourning the death of Soleimani which resulted in a vote by Iraq’s parliament to expel US forces from the country. Adil Abdul-Mahdi, the acting prime minister, said that the assassination was completely “unacceptable” and during an extraordinary session of parliament, Iraqi MPs voted in favor of a resolution to expel all foreign forces, including around 5.000 US troops, from the country.
The EU issued guidelines, which have been followed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain, to encourage those with plans to visit the region to postpone their trips until tensions have settled down. In the case of Iran, it has been recommended that all trips related to tourism are postponed. In relation to Iraq, it is recommended that all travel plans are cancelled.
Spaniards already in the region have been warned about the possible risk to their lives and have been told they should avoid participating in demonstrations and refrain from gathering in crowded places. They are urged to avoid taking unnecessary trips and have been told to remain in their homes or hotels.
