Tens of thousands of people are stranded in the Middle East as Iran war complicates routes home

Tens of thousands of people, from Romanian religious pilgrims to tourists and diplomats' family members, are stranded across the Middle East as the Iran war spreads throughout the region. In a major move Monday, the U.S. State Department urged all U.S. citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries over the safety risk with the ongoing escalations that have dragged the region into significant chaos. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said on social platform X that Americans in countries including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel should “DEPART NOW” using any available commercial transportation.