Canada on Wednesday issued a travel warning asking its citizens to avoid "non-essential" travel to Iran, hours after Iran launched missile attacks on U.S.-led forces in Iraq.

The statement from the Canadian government cited the ongoing volatile security situation, the regional threat of "terrorism" and the risk of arbitrary detention.

Canada also asked its citizens to "avoid all travel" to the area within 10 kilometers of Iran's border with Iraq.

Iran's attack came in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing has raised fears of a war in the Middle East.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru Editing by Chizu Nomiyama ) ((Kanishka.Singh@thomsonreuters.com; +91 80 6749 0021;))