Minnesota bicycle owner flees Iran amid airstrikes throughout seven-continent journey

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A Minnesota man with a dream of biking throughout all seven continents was compelled to provide you with different plans after Israel launched a barrage of air strikes on Iran’s navy leaders and nuclear amenities, near the place he was driving.

The Related Press stated 32-year-old Ian Andersen of Minnetonka, Minnesota didn't plan to get caught in an actual conflict zone, so he rode to neighboring Azerbaijan on Monday.

"The bombs began falling," Andersen instructed the wire service on Wednesday, whereas talking on Zoom from a resort in Baku. "It was extraordinarily scary."

Andersen was touring via Iran as a part of a yearslong mission to experience his bike throughout all seven continents. Whereas in Iran , Andersen had an area information, and he had shared movies of his journey with tens of 1000's of followers on social media, because the starting of June.

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On this picture supplied by @ridewithian, Ian Andersen poses for a selfie close to the Turkey-Iran border, on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (@ridewithian through AP)

"The day the bombs began falling" was Friday, and Andersen and his information had been heading south alongside the Caspian Beach, from Chalus towards the capital of Tehran.

Andersen had reportedly hoped to use for a visa to Afghanistan in Tehran, with ambitions of crossing into Central Asia and onto Russia.

"It was actually simply, like, the worst timing doable," he instructed the AP.

As soon as the bombs began falling, Andersen and his information sheltered in place and spoke Spanish to keep away from folks suspecting he was from the U.S.

CAITLYN JENNER, STUCK IN ISRAEL AFTER IRAN STRIKE, POSTS PICTURES OF CHAOS AND SHELTER

Automobiles drive on a freeway as smoke rises from an oil storage facility after it appeared to have been struck by an Israeli strike on Saturday, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photograph/Vahid Salemi)

He additionally stated he noticed lengthy strains of autos fleeing Tehran, and on the similar time, his family, mates and social media followers had considerations for his security.

The U.S. State Division notified Andersen in an e-mail that he ought to depart for Azerbaijan or Turkey.

A pal of Andersen’s in Los Angeles utilized for a visa to Azerbaijan on his behalf, which was in the end granted by the U.S. Embassy in Baku.

DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS CRITICIZE ISRAEL'S DEFENSIVE STRIKES AGAINST IRAN'S NUCLEAR SITES

A large plume of smoke and hearth rise from an oil refinery in southern Tehran following experiences that an in a single day Israeli strike focused the positioning on June 15, 2025. (ATTA KENARE/AFP)

Biking, Andersen stated, was his dream and escape, and up to now, he had struggled with dependancy and a spotlight deficit hyperactivity dysfunction.

And whereas his dream of biking the seven continents could have hit a velocity bump, he has no regrets from occurring the journey .

The bombs in Iran weren't his solely brush with loss of life. The truth is, he stated he was in northern Kenya in 2023 when a tribesman threatened to chuck a spear at him whereas biking via a rural space.

"There’s at all times going to be danger, and it's important to settle for it," he stated.

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Now that he's out of Iran, Andersen stated he's planning to ferry throughout the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, then head east into Uzbekistan. However from there, Andersen stated he doesn't know the place to go.