Pigeons stand on a decorative water well outside the Bazar Souq Waqif, with the Fanar mosque and the Abdulla Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center in the background, in Doha on Dec. 5, 2024.
The conflict with Iran has worsened in the past few days, increasing the danger faced by people living in and traveling to the region.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar has issued an emergency alert for American citizens on June 23.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice,” said the brief alert, which was issued as the Israel–Iran conflict escalates. The embassy reminded Americans to dial 999 for emergency services, and +974-4496-6000 for U.S. consular services.
The UK government issued a similar warning following the U.S. alert.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice,” the notice said. “Follow instructions from local authorities. The FCDO is in contact with local authorities and international partners, and will provide further updates as the situation develops.”
FCDO refers to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, which provides travel advisories to British citizens.
The U.S. Embassy warning said that inquiry portals ask a series of basic questions and provide answers to frequently asked questions; it recommends following instructions carefully due to the current high volume of inquiries.
“Please follow the instructions to contact us carefully, or your inquiry may not be received,” the embassy said.
The embassy warning follows a June 22 alert issued by the Department of State.
“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” said the State Department, adding that there was potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.
“The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” it said, advising U.S. citizens to read all travel advisories carefully before traveling to the region.
Following missile attacks by Israel and Iran over the past few days, the United States joined Israel and bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on June 21.
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, said that it’s currently not possible to assess the damage to Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant, Fordow.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has warned of “everlasting consequences” in response to the U.S. strikes. Araqchi also implied that diplomacy between Iran and the United States is no longer on the table.
The United States and Iran had previously engaged in talks as U.S. President Donald Trump pushed for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, but the parties failed to reach a deal, leading Israel to launch airstrikes against Iranian infrastructure on June 13.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s actions aimed to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles and explosive attack drones toward Israel, some of which breached Israel’s air defense network.
The United States began evacuating U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from Israel on June 21. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said the State Department has arranged departure flights and issued instructions for citizens seeking departure assistance.
Trump has also hinted at a possible regime change in the Islamic country.
