Hundreds of U.S. citizens evacuated Iran over the past week ahead of America striking three of Iran’s key nuclear sites on Saturday, according to an internal State Department cable, Reuters reported.

While many Americans were able to leave without issues, "numerous" citizens faced "delays and harassment" while trying to leave, the outlet added, citing the cable reportedly dated on Friday. Two citizens attempting to leave Iran were reportedly detained.

The reported evacuation difficulties faced by Americans underscore the broader challenges Washington has encountered in assisting its nationals inside Iran, a country that has not had any diplomatic ties with the U.S. since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. 

The State Department told Fox News Digital that U.S. citizens may face more difficulty exiting than those who hold U.S.-Iranian dual citizenship.

STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE IN ISRAEL, WEST BANK AND IRAN

"We remind U.S. citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention," a State Department spokeperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Sunday. "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."

"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," the department added. "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."

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State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing on Friday that the U.S. has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, adding that the administration has offered guidance to thousands of people on how to leave Iran and Israel amid rapidly escalating tensions between the two countries.

"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."

Americans seeking to depart Iran were advised to use land routes via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey while Iranian airspace remains closed, according to a State Department travel alert. The government may be able to assist American citizens once they exit the borders. 

TUGBOATS, CRUISE SHIPS AND FLIGHTS: ISRAEL BEGINS EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF CITIZENS AMID IRAN WAR

The State Department does not have official figures, but thousands of U.S. citizens are thought to be residing in Iran, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Thursday that the administration was looking at different ways to get U.S. citizens out of that country.

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

Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on Saturday that President Donald Trump's strike on Iran's nuclear program was, in many ways, a "bold and good move." 

"I think from a strictly military perspective, this was a decisive, bold, consequential attack. Iran was in a weakened condition. The U.S. had the technology to carry out what is probably a long-term impact, on Iran's nuclear program," he said. 

Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. had struck three Iranian nuclear sites. The president said the Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities were "totally obliterated" during a brief address from the White House. 

"So I was surprised he ordered the attack. But, I think it was in many ways a bold and good move, certainly for Israel and, to some extent, the United States," McCaffrey said. 

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"By the way, the reason I was surprised, I think it’s a political disaster for him. His own party is split apart [on] the issue. The Democrats oppose it, the American people oppose it, and it presumes there won't be an Iranian counterstrike," McCaffrey added. 

The retired general said Iran was likely to retaliate and added "we’re at war with Iran right now."

Asked by Wallace if the president believed they were at war with Iran, McCaffrey said Trump was "hopeful" about a negotiation. 

"I think he’s probably incorrect on that. Again, I would assert that the Iranians have very few viable military options, one of which, however, to close the Persian Gulf, affects the price of oil dramatically," he told Wallace. 

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Iran lashed out at Israel after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday.

Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Saturday that he was impressed by the U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear sites, praising Trump's use of "deception and trickery."

"I‘m fascinated and, candidly, I‘m impressed," he said. "I never really could understand what the two-week pause meant, or what it was for, what was left to negotiate, what were we going to expect the Iranians to offer? In many ways, it was much like a Trump deal. I mean, he‘s trying to make a deal to buy an apartment, but all of a sudden the apartment was destroyed, so where‘s the negotiation? So I think the use of deception and trickery in this case, first of all, was successful. But second of all, saved the potential loss of American lives."