Poland urges citizens to leave Iran as conflict fears rise

Thursday 19 February 2026 - 10:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Poland urges citizens to leave Iran as conflict fears rise

Poland has called on all its nationals in Iran to depart immediately, warning that evacuation options could become unavailable within hours as regional tensions intensify. Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Polish citizens to leave without delay and advised against any travel to Iran, citing what he described as a credible risk of imminent military confrontation.

Tusk said that if open hostilities were to erupt, Polish authorities might no longer be able to ensure assistance or coordinate evacuation efforts for those remaining in the country. He stressed that the security environment could deteriorate rapidly, limiting the government’s capacity to respond.

The appeal follows a series of increasingly urgent travel advisories issued by Poland’s Foreign Ministry in recent weeks. Officials have repeatedly encouraged citizens to leave Iran and to postpone travel to the broader Middle East amid mounting instability.

Polish authorities have pointed to ongoing internal unrest in Iran and the growing presence of foreign military forces in the region as key sources of concern. Media reports in the United States and across the region have indicated that Washington is weighing potential military action against Iran, with senior American officials suggesting that any large-scale operation could be launched at short notice.

In response, the government in Warsaw has strengthened contingency planning and expanded crisis communication channels with Polish nationals abroad. Officials have emphasized that those choosing to remain in Iran are doing so in an increasingly volatile security context, where the ability of the state to provide support could be significantly constrained.