Albania embassy warning issued

The U.S. Embassy in Tirana told Americans in Albania on April 1 to increase vigilance because groups associated with Iran may target U.S.-linked sites and Iranian opposition figures. (al.usembassy.gov) The embassy said possible targets could include tourist sites, shopping malls, hotels, clubs, restaurants and government buildings in Tirana. It told U.S. citizens to monitor local news, review personal security plans, keep phones charged and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, known as STEP. (al.usembassy.gov) The warning landed as the State Department continued to rate Albania at Level 2, or “Exercise Increased Caution,” a countrywide advisory tied mainly to crime and limits in police and emergency services in some areas. The April 1 embassy alert added a more specific threat tied to Iran and Iranian opposition elements in Albania. (travel.state.gov, al.usembassy.gov) Albania has become part of that dispute because it hosts about 3,000 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, also called the Mujahedeen-e Khalq or MEK, at a camp near Manzë outside Tirana. The group relocated to Albania in 2013 after years in Iraq. (dw.com, middleeasteye.net) Relations between Tirana and Tehran broke down in September 2022, when Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Iran had directed a July cyberattack against Albanian government systems. Albania then cut diplomatic ties and expelled Iranian embassy staff. (iranprimer.usip.org, rferl.org) U.S. officials have also issued broader cautions in recent weeks tied to military action against Iran, telling Americans worldwide to follow local embassy alerts and enroll in STEP for updates. The Tirana embassy repeated that advice on its local alerts page. (xk.usembassy.gov, al.usembassy.gov) For travelers, the practical change is not a border closure or evacuation order. It is a warning that ordinary public places in Albania, especially in and around Tirana, were named as possible targets in a live U.S. embassy security alert. (al.usembassy.gov)