Bike tour to border ordeal: Minnesota man flees Iran as tensions rise

Minnesota bicyclist flees Iran as tensions rise

A Minnesota man barely gets out of Iran, as he puts it, he had a 50% chance of never walking out. This is stemming from the Israel-Iran conflict. His tour guide even said he could no longer protect him.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minnesota man barely gets out of Iran, as he puts it, he had a 50% chance of never walking out. This is stemming from the Israel-Iran conflict. His tour guide even said he could no longer protect him.

Minnesota man bikes to Iran, makes it out

What we know:

Ian Andersen started biking across Europe and Asia in February. He got to Iran on June 2, but his journey took a dangerous turn when Israel launched its airstrikes on Iran.

"We’re not going to Tehran after all. The situation is too dangerous," said Andersen in an Instagram video. 

That’s the moment Andersen realized he had to change his biking plans from Tehran and head to Azerbaijan.

"There’s likely police blockages into the city and out of the city. I would truly be arrested," said Anderson.

He posted the video on social media from a Saturday vlog, and it has been viewed more than a million times.

Getting interviewed by Iranian officials at the border

What they're saying:

FOX 9 spoke to Andersen Wednesday after he was safe and sound. In his words, things got dicey when he had to do exit interviews. The first interview went fine. But then the second one.

"They hold me into like a, like an army barracks with a couple of Europeans, Portuguese nationals," said Andersen.

Andersen couldn’t document that part of his travels, but he describes his feeling when he was in that room being interviewed.

"This really sketchy room where, like, Okay, I've got like, a 50% chance of never walking out of here," said Anderson.

Big picture view:

After this experience, Andersen expresses his empathy for everyone he met in Iran who are caught up in this conflict. 

"It makes, really, makes me think about all the people that can't leave, though it's like, I'm lucky to be here, out of here. But yeah, normal, everyday Iranians and Israelis who don't have the same good fortune, just stuck in the in the fallout of this, this whole thing," said Anderson.

What’s next: Andersen already biked from Alaska to Argentina nine years ago. His final destination is Japan, and he hopes to get there by Christmas.