Germany urges citizens to leave Iran amid protests

BERLIN

Germany has urged its citizens to leave Iran, warning they could face "arbitrary arrest" as anti-government protests sweep across the country.

The Foreign Ministry updated its travel advisory on Wednesday, stating that German nationals are strongly advised not to travel to Iran, and those already in the country should depart as soon as possible.

"German citizens are urged to leave Iran. There is a risk of arbitrary arrests. The German Embassy in Tehran can currently only provide limited consular assistance on site," the Foreign Ministry said.

The advisory also warned citizens of the worsening security situation in the country and the region.

"A renewed deterioration of the security situation in the region and further military confrontations cannot be ruled out," the ministry said. "The situation throughout the entire region remains volatile and very tense."

Iran has been rocked by waves of protests since last month, starting Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several other cities.

Government officials have accused the US and Israel of backing the "riots" and "terrorism."

There are no official casualty figures, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based rights group, estimates that more than 2,500 people have been killed, including security forces and protesters, and more than 1,100 others injured.

The group also says more than 18,000 people have been detained, though these figures have not been independently verified and differ from other estimates.