Leave Iran, Iraq ‘immediately’

Bahrain has ordered its citizens to “immediately” leave Iraq and Iran for their safety, amid rising tension in the region and the recent escalations and threats against security and stability. Foreign Ministry made the announcement through BNA yesterday afternoon. The statement cited “unstable situation in the region and the grave developments and threats that threaten security and stability” for the warning. The Ministry stressed the need to take the utmost precautions and care.

Washington on Wednesday pulled non-emergency staff members from its embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad out of apparent concern about perceived threats from neighboring Iran, to which Iraqi Shia militias are allied. Earlier yesterday, Exxon evacuated its foreign staff from an Iraqi oilfield.

In another development, the Federal Aviation Administration of the US has warned US airlines flying over the Gulf to exercise caution “due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the region.” The advisory also covers airspace over the Gulf of Oman. Increased tensions in the region “present an increasing inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification, said the FAA advisory released late Thursday