Iran Warns Nationals in Turkey to Avoid Crowded Places
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian embassy in Ankara issued a security warning, urging its citizens in Turkey to stay away from crowded and insecure areas in the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, the embassy warned Iranian nationals either travelling to Turkey or residing in the country to take heed of warnings issued by the embassy and consulate generals as well as the host nation, and avoid crowded public places.
It came after two Iranian tourists, aged 40 and 29, were injured with knife after six Turkish muggers tried to snatch away their belongings inside a shop in Istanbul on September 29.
The two were taken to a nearby hospital where one of them succumbed to his wounds later.
Turkish police have reportedly managed to arrest the assailants after identifying them using CCTV footage.
According to data provided by the Turkish Tourism Ministry, the number of foreign people visiting Turkey fell 1.3% in the first 11 months of 2015 against the same period in 2014, with the exception of Iranians whose numbers grew.
Around 1.6 million Iranians visited Turkey in the period, rising by 6.3%, president of Turkish Touristic Hotels and Investors Association (TUROB) Timur Bayindir has said.
