The State Department has updated its travel hotline for Americans stuck in the Middle East to say the government is now offering travel assistance, five days after the war in Iran began.
The White House first urged Americans in 16 countries to evacuate on Monday, but it did not begin offering assistance booking flights and securing modes of departure until Wednesday.
When NOTUS called the automated hotline Wednesday morning, the automated message said: “The U.S. is committed to helping U.S. citizens who want to leave the region to do so.”
As of Tuesday night in the Eastern time zone, the hotline still told those trying to evacuate that they should not “rely” on the U.S. government, as NOTUS reported yesterday. The hotline was updated at some point overnight Eastern time, which was daytime Wednesday for those stuck in the Middle East.
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The White House did not immediately respond to a question about when the change was made.
One traveler stuck in the United Arab Emirates told NOTUS that the State Department began trying to assist her Wednesday by sending a “crisis intake” form to arrange departure; however, the U.S. government had still not shared any news of chartered flights by Wednesday afternoon ET.
She first registered for help on Saturday evening, immediately after the US began bombing Iran.
“The U.S. Embassy hasn’t been helpful for anything other than daily situation updates,” she said.
The Trump administration appeared to develop a plan to evacuate Americans from the region over the course of the day on Tuesday, as outrage from those stuck abroad reached members of Congress in Washington and the press.
Before Wednesday, the State Department’s hotline message began with: “Please do not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation. At this time, there are currently no United States evacuation points.”
Two people who were stranded in the UAE told NOTUS on Tuesday morning that the State Department was unable to help them secure an exit from the region. Several more U.S. citizens shared similar stories with NOTUS on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
On Tuesday afternoon, the State Department said it was working to secure charter flights for those stuck in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan.
“We need to have contact information for Americans that need assistance. They have to register with us, because as these options begin to open up, and as they open up, we have to be able to call you, we have to be able to reach you,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said to reporters Tuesday afternoon. “It’ll be a variety of methods: charter flights, military flights and transports, expanded commercial opportunities, and in some cases land routes that will allow them to go to neighboring countries.”
US.. citizens are encouraged to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, the State Department portal used to coordinate emergency evacuations and track travelers abroad.
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