Published on Tuesday, May 19, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rican authorities on Monday urged citizens to avoid travel to the Middle East because of escalating conflicts and worsening security conditions across the region, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The warning marks the second advisory issued by the ministry this year, urging Costa Ricans not to travel to countries in the Middle East because of rapidly deteriorating conditions and the possibility of international flight suspensions throughout the region.

The ministry said evacuation options from conflict zones remain extremely limited and noted that Costa Rica currently does not have the resources to evacuate citizens from countries affected by ongoing hostilities.

“Given the escalation of political conflicts, the possibilities for evacuation from war zones are very limited,” the ministry said in a statement.

As of March, Costa Rica had evacuated 76 citizens from the Middle East as regional tensions intensified.

Costa Rican nationals living in countries affected by the conflict or neighboring nations were urged to remain vigilant and stay in contact with Costa Rican consulates.

The ministry released the following contact information:

• Israel (Tel Aviv): Phone (00-972) 3613-5061; email concr-il@rree.go.cr

• Doha: Phones +(974) 3142-7178 or +(974) 4498-0094; email concr-qa@rree.go.cr

• Abu Dhabi: Phones +971 2554-7458 or +971 5556-47098; emails concr-ae@rree.go.cr and conhcr-li@rree.go.cr

• Beirut: Phones +961 5 456 666 ext. 200 or +961 70 270 227; email conhcr-li@rree.go.cr

• Amman: Phone 00 (962-6) 5822684; email costarica@ak.com.jo

The travel advisory comes amid widening unrest in Iran, which began in December 2025 with demonstrations erupting in multiple cities as part of nationwide protests against the Islamic Republic government and a worsening economic crisis.

The 2026 Iran War, also known as Operation Epic Fury, began in February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched large-scale joint airstrikes on Iran.

Iran responded with waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel as well as countries and territories across the region, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Jordan and Syria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversees Costa Rica’s foreign policy and manages the country’s diplomatic missions worldwide.

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