WARSAW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday issued an urgent appeal urging Polish citizens currently in Iran to leave the country immediately and advising those planning to travel there to cancel their trips.

A woman walks at a square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Photo: AP)

Speaking at a public event in Zielonka, central Poland, Tusk said he did not intend to cause panic but warned that the situation in Iran is highly unstable and that the risk of a violent conflict remains significant.

He called on citizens to take the appeal seriously and reiterated that in the event of a "violent conflict," there would be no guarantee of evacuation options for Polish nationals.

Tensions have escalated in recent days as senior U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of possible military intervention against Iran. Iran has said it would retaliate against U.S. military facilities in the region if attacked.