June 20, 2025

We would like to alert you to the following changes to our travel guidance due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran:

The university’s contracted security provider, Crisis24 (who provides our emergency evacuation services), is no longer providing coverage for travel to Israel or Iran. Given this development, University-supported or sponsored travel to Iran or Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza will not be permitted and Exception Petitions for travel to these locations will not be accepted or approved until this coverage resumes. If you have received an exception through the petition process but are yet to travel, please contact ITOC before you travel to see if your trip will still be eligible for Crisis24 coverage.

The University recognizes that this is a dynamic and evolving situation, and ITOC will be reviewing the status of travel to this region with our security provider on a regular basis.

Travel remains suspended in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen based on the risk ratings from the U.S. Department of State and International SOS, as outlined in the university’s International Travel Policy. (See https://global.wustl.edu/resources/international-travel-policy/ for more details.) At this time, all other travel in and through the Middle East to countries and areas not included on the Travel Suspension Conditions List can continue. However, the university strongly recommends taking enhanced precautions.

For those traveling in the region:

  • Maintain a low profile and exercise heightened situational awareness at all times. As an additional cautionary measure, do not display any obvious signs of nationality.
  • Avoid areas where any protests or demonstrations are taking place. Be prepared to leave an area where crowds are anticipated or begin to gather. In some instances, local security forces may adopt robust tactics to disperse crowds or contain unrest.
  • Monitor local media, International SOS advisories, and information from the U.S. Department of State for the most up-to-date security analysis and guidance.

It is also very strongly recommended that U.S. citizens and nationals traveling in or through the region enroll their trip(s) with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/. This is in addition to the required registration of your itinerary with the university’s international travel registry MyTrips, not in place of it. More information on MyTrips is available here: https://global.wustl.edu/mytrips-instructions/

We will continue to monitor the situation closely. WashU places the highest priority on our travelers’ safety and security. Please contact itoc@wustl.edu with any additional questions.

International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC)