Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its travel advice for Iran to the maximum “Leave Now/Avoid All Travel” level late on 14 January and reiterated the warning on 15 January through the Connect2CY consular portal. The directive follows a week of intensifying protests in Tehran, clashes in Khuzestan Province and warnings from regional intelligence services of possible spill-over violence.
All Cypriot citizens currently in Iran are urged to depart while commercial flights continue to operate, with priority given to routes via Doha, Dubai and Istanbul. The Embassy in Tehran has opened a 24-hour hotline and is compiling lists of nationals needing evacuation assistance should conditions deteriorate.
Cyprus Airways has announced change-fee waivers for tickets issued before 10 January on the Tehran–Larnaca service, but seats are limited; corporate travel managers are advised to consider re-routing personnel through third-country hubs or charter options. Employers with multinational staff based in Iran should also review insurance coverage for “war, civil unrest and terrorism” exclusions.
![Nicosia Issues Highest-Level ‘Leave Now’ Advisory for Iran Amid Escalating Unrest]()
Amid the scramble to reticket flights and secure safe transit, VisaHQ can help Cypriot travelers obtain expedited visas for alternate hubs such as the UAE, Qatar or Turkey. The Cyprus-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lists up-to-date entry requirements, allows online submission and tracks applications in real time, streamlining paperwork at a moment when every hour counts.
Although the advisory targets Cypriot nationals, it is having wider ripple effects. Several shipping and energy companies headquartered in Limassol have suspended crew changes involving Iranian ports, opting instead for rotation in Fujairah or Muscat. Mobility providers report a spike in last-minute visa requests for the United Arab Emirates as contractors reposition teams.
The ministry’s move underscores a broader trend of heightened risk in the Gulf region; Cyprus has upgraded four travel advisories in the past six months, prompting calls from the business community for a unified emergency-travel framework similar to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
All Cypriot citizens currently in Iran are urged to depart while commercial flights continue to operate, with priority given to routes via Doha, Dubai and Istanbul. The Embassy in Tehran has opened a 24-hour hotline and is compiling lists of nationals needing evacuation assistance should conditions deteriorate.
Cyprus Airways has announced change-fee waivers for tickets issued before 10 January on the Tehran–Larnaca service, but seats are limited; corporate travel managers are advised to consider re-routing personnel through third-country hubs or charter options. Employers with multinational staff based in Iran should also review insurance coverage for “war, civil unrest and terrorism” exclusions.
Amid the scramble to reticket flights and secure safe transit, VisaHQ can help Cypriot travelers obtain expedited visas for alternate hubs such as the UAE, Qatar or Turkey. The Cyprus-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lists up-to-date entry requirements, allows online submission and tracks applications in real time, streamlining paperwork at a moment when every hour counts.
Although the advisory targets Cypriot nationals, it is having wider ripple effects. Several shipping and energy companies headquartered in Limassol have suspended crew changes involving Iranian ports, opting instead for rotation in Fujairah or Muscat. Mobility providers report a spike in last-minute visa requests for the United Arab Emirates as contractors reposition teams.
The ministry’s move underscores a broader trend of heightened risk in the Gulf region; Cyprus has upgraded four travel advisories in the past six months, prompting calls from the business community for a unified emergency-travel framework similar to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
