Westerners warned to leave Dubai and Abu Dhabi ‘immediately’ amid tensions after US airstrike
Experts have warned tourists in the United Arab Emirates and Iraq to leave ‘immediately’ amid rising tensions between Iran and the US.
The comments come after President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Iran’s major general Qasem Soleimani, by launching an airstrike on Baghdad International Airport.
Mr Trump claimed the country’s second in command was plotting ‘imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel’.
Iran has issued a chilling warning, saying ‘harsh vengeance awaits’ Mr Trump, the US and its allies.
The conflict has caused the US embassy in Baghdad to urge all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately and now experts are warning tourists should also evacuate the Middle East.
Mohammad Marandi, an analyst based in Tehran, claimed the US has ‘declared war’ and ‘it’s best for Westerners to evacuate countries like UAE and Iraq immediately’.
He told the BBC: ‘It is best for all American citizens to leave the region immediately. US occupiers will be forced to leave Iraq.’
Meanwhile, Yoel Guzansky, an expert at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Strategic Studies, also said he expects it won’t be long until Iran retaliates.
Guzansky said officials were likely to seek vengeance against US or Israeli targets in the short term as the killing was such a huge blow for the country.
He warned that Iranian authorities would fear the act had restored American deterrence in the region.
Earlier today, foreign employees of oil companies were seen leaving Iraq at Basra International Airport.
Oil company sources said dozens of foreign workers were expected to fly out of the country from the southern Iraqi oil city on Friday.
A Reuters witness saw a number of foreigners, including US citizens, queuing to check-in at the airport and described the atmosphere as relaxed.
Some were travelling to Dubai on airline FlyDubai and others were checking in at the Qatar airways counter.
Following the attack, Mr Trump insisted he ‘terminated’ the most senior member of the Iranian military ‘to stop a war’ and to end his target’s ‘sick passion’ for death.
Speaking in Palm Beach Florida Friday, the president said: ‘What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago…
‘We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war.’
He claimed the General was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American civilians and servicemen.
Trump claimed Solemani was the brains behind a rocket attack on a US military compound in Iraq last week which left an American civilian worker dead.
And he also blamed the assassinated general for Monday’s attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, and made the allegation hours after announcing plans to draft 3,500 extra US troops into Iraq.
He spoke hours after ordering a drone strike which killed Soleimani as his car left Baghdad Airport.
A missile fired from a reaper drone blew up a convoy of two cars that Soleimani was traveling in.
That left his body so badly mangled it had to be identified by a large ring he wore on his finger.
Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei issued a chilling threat after the bombing, saying: ‘Harsh vengeance awaits the criminals that got his (Soleimani) and other martyrs’ blood on their evil hands in last night’s incident.’
He added: ‘God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped’.
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