US to evacuate personnel from Iraq following Iran threats
A State Department official said the US “will reduce the footprint of [its] mission in Iraq” to ensure the safety of American personnel.
WASHINGTON — The United States is evacuating diplomatic personnel from Iraq, a State Department official told Al-Monitor on Wednesday, amid threats from Iran to strike US bases in the region.
"President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq," the State Department official said.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the voluntary departure of military family members from the region on Wednesday, two US defense officials confirmed to Al-Monitor.
“The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority, and US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East,” one of the officials said. “CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our allies and partners in the region, to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time.”
The authorization mainly impacts Bahrain, the second defense official said, adding that it is the main duty station in the region that allows dependents of US military personnel.
The drawdown comes after a senior Iranian official on Wednesday threatened that Tehran would strike US bases in the region in the event the US-Iran nuclear talks fail or a conflict emerges.
“If a conflict is imposed on us … all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh told reporters.
US President Donald Trump appears to be less optimistic about a potential agreement with Tehran ahead of planned negotiations this weekend. He told the New York Post in an interview that aired Wednesday he was growing “less confident” that a deal to limit or halt Iran’s uranium enrichment was in reach.
Reuters first reported that the United States was preparing to evacuate the embassy in Baghdad “due to heightened security risks in the region.” The Associated Press reports that the State Department order affects “all nonessential personnel” in Baghdad and that the department also authorized the optional departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait.
This developing story has been updated.
