The British government on Saturday advised UK nationals to avoid traveling to Iraq and Iran in face of heightened tensions following the US killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.
"Following the death of Qasem Soleimani and heightened tensions in the region... We now advise British nationals against all travel to Iraq (and) we now advise against all but essential travel to Iran," Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement.
"The first job of any government is to keep British people safe," the statement said.
"Given heightened tensions in the region, (we) now advise people not to travel to Iraq, with the exception of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and to consider carefully whether it's essential to travel to Iran. We will keep this under review."
On Friday, the US military killed Quds Force commander Soleimani in an airstrike outside Baghdad international airport.
In its statement, the British Foreign Office urged UK nationals in the region to "remain vigilant and monitor the media carefully."
On Friday, foreign minister Dominic Raab said that while London had "always recognized the aggressive threat" posed by Soleimani and his Quds Force, "following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests."
