As more protests across Europe turn violent, governments all over the globe – including in Iran – have been issuing cautionary warnings to their citizens about traveling to the affected countries.
France is the primary focus of most recent warnings, although Belgium and Italy have also been named in several of these travel advisories.
Iran is the most recent country to join this list, as its Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement Monday night advising Iranians to avoid non-essential travel to the three countries. The Ministry stated the recommendation came off the back of “intensifying unrest and disruptions to public order” in the countries.
As of publication, the following governments have released travel advisories in response to the civil unrest in France and elsewhere in Europe:
European countries
- Belgium
- Italy
- Germany
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Finland
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Poland
Non-European countries
- United States
- Canada
- China
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Iran
- Australia
None of the listed countries have instated a full travel ban to France, Belgium, or Italy.
How non-EU countries are reacting
Several countries that already had travel precautions in place for the affected countries before the latest wave of unrest stated their guidance will be updated if needed.
A government spokesperson for one of those countries, Canada, said their country is actively monitoring the situation across Europe for this reason.
“The Government of Canada closely monitors safety and security conditions abroad, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using a wide array of information sources,” Thida Ith, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, told The Brussels Times.
"Travel Advice and Advisories are updated promptly to respond to events that may affect the personal safety and security of Canadians abroad."
Some countries, like the US, use automated systems to release warnings about potential safety risks to their citizens abroad. The US’s system, called STEP, sent an email to Americans in Belgium on Monday night warning them to avoid areas where demonstrations are rumoured to occur in the next two weeks.
Safety precautions issued by the US government.
Travel recommendations for Belgians
The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it’s still safe for Belgian residents to travel to France if they follow standard safety precautions. Maxime Ramon, a spokesperson for the Ministry, told The Brussels Times that Belgians living in or planning to travel to France should monitor whether French authorities release any new safety measures.
“Belgian citizens are advised to avoid large gatherings and crowds, and to strictly follow the recommendations and guidelines issued by French authorities,” Ramon stated in an email. “Further information is available on the website of the relevant prefecture.”
A similar recommendation is in place for Italy.
