As the U.S.-Iran conflict escalates, the United States has urged citizens in 16 Middle Eastern countries to "leave immediately," but several people stranded have reported that the assistance provided by the State Department is limited. When media called the State Department hotline, they heard an automated voice message saying, "Please do not rely on the U.S. government to provide assistance for departure or evacuation," and stated, "there are currently no U.S. evacuation points." Despite Secretary of State Rubio's video released that morning stating that people could call the hotline for help, two American citizens stranded in the UAE said they did not receive any travel plans after calling, and more people also left comments under Rubio's video saying their experiences were similar. Under external pressure, the State Department issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon saying it is "assisting" American citizens in leaving, and will arrange charter flights from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and will try to secure more capacity if safety conditions permit. It also said that there are still some commercial flights in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Egypt, and is helping citizens book tickets. The report also pointed out that airports in Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Syria, and Israel have been closed, and most major airlines have significantly reduced flights. Only limited commercial flights remain between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. When Trump was asked on Tuesday why Americans were still stranded despite the U.S. initiating the attack, he responded that things happened too quickly.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858706966762505/
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