Risk Level of Tehran and Other Locations Elevated to 3 from 1
Concerns Mount over Escalation and Potential Israeli Retaliation
Western Nations Expect Response to Attack by the 15th
In the aftermath of Iran’s attack on Israel, the Japanese government has raised its Travel Advisory Level for most regions of Iran, including Tehran, from Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions to Level 3: Reconsider Travel.
According to NHK, on the 15th, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs adjusted the Travel Advisory Level, stating, “There is concern that unforeseen incidents may occur within Iran.” It also urged a halt to visits to Iran and encouraged Japanese citizens already in Iran to consider departing while commercial flights are still operating.
Some areas in Iran, including the Pakistani border zone, have been under the highest ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel’ for some time. With this adjustment, Level 3 or above advisories have been implemented across Iran. It is reported that about 400 Japanese citizens currently reside in Iran.
Iran previously attacked the Israeli mainland with drones and missiles from the night of the 13th to the dawn of the 14th (local time). This was a retaliatory strike for the bombing of the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the 1st, which led to the death of a high-ranking commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). As tensions heighten in the Middle East, the international community is on high alert for Israel’s response. Following Iran’s attack, President Joe Biden is known to have clearly stated in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. opposes any retaliation by Israel. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, “U.S. and Western nations expect Israel to respond swiftly to Iran’s attack as early as Monday, the 15th.”
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