According to a Reuters report citing an internal cable, hundreds of U.S. citizens were evacuated from Iran in the past week, ahead of a possible U.S. strike on three key Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday.

The cable, reportedly dated Friday, indicated that while many Americans left without incident, “numerous” others experienced “delays and harassment.” Reuters also reported that two U.S. citizens were detained while attempting to leave Iran.

These reported evacuation difficulties highlight the ongoing challenges the U.S. faces in assisting its citizens within Iran, a nation with which the U.S. has had no diplomatic relations since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

The State Department told Digital that U.S. citizens may encounter more difficulties leaving Iran than those holding dual U.S.-Iranian citizenship.

A State Department spokesperson advised Digital on Sunday: “We remind U.S. citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason due to the risk of , civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention. U.S.-Iranian dual nationals must exit Iran on Iranian passports and should be prepared to encounter checkpoints and questioning from Iranian authorities before departing Iran. The Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.”

The department added, “If you plan to leave Iran, the Department has opened a crisis intake form for U.S. citizens in Iran to pass information about consular assistance. Due to the limitations of U.S. consular support in Iran, U.S. citizens seeking departure should take advantage of existing means to leave Iran. The crisis intake form and the latest information for U.S. citizens seeking to depart Israel and Iran can be found on our banner page on travel.state.gov.”

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated during a Friday press briefing that the safety and security of Americans is a top priority, noting the administration has provided guidance to thousands on leaving Iran and Israel amidst rising tensions.

“We do not anticipate offering direct U.S. government-assisted departure from Iran,” Bruce said. “The Department of State has provided information and support to over 25,000 people seeking guidance regarding the situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Iran.”

According to a State Department travel alert, Americans wanting to leave Iran were advised to use land routes through Azerbaijan, Armenia, or while Iranian airspace remains closed. The U.S. government may be able to assist citizens once they have crossed the border.

Reuters reports that while the State Department lacks official figures, thousands of U.S. citizens are believed to reside .

Meanwhile, Mike Huckabee stated on Thursday that the administration is exploring various methods to evacuate U.S. citizens from Iran.

“We’re working to get military, commercial, charter flights and cruise ships for evac,” Huckabee said in an X post.

‘ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.