The United States has begun evacuating non-essential personnel from its diplomatic missions and military bases in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran and stalled nuclear negotiations, the State Department and the Department of Defense confirmed on Wednesday.
The US Embassy in Baghdad is at the center of the drawdown, with the State Department authorizing the departure of staff not deemed critical to ongoing operations. In parallel, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has permitted the departure of military dependents stationed across the region. Personnel in US embassies in Bahrain and Kuwait are reportedly on standby for relocation, according to US and Iraqi sources.
President Donald Trump, addressing reporters, said the decision was taken due to security concerns. “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place,” he said. “We’ve given notice to move out and we’ll see what happens. Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simply, they can’t have a nuclear weapon, we’re not going to allow that.”
The US move follows an apparent deadlock in nuclear talks with Tehran, raising fears of possible conflict. Iranian Defence Minister officials have warned that US military assets in the region would be targeted if the nuclear negotiations fail and a confrontation ensues.
US intelligence assessments reportedly indicate that Israel has been preparing for a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, adding further uncertainty to an already volatile situation. President Trump has urged Israel to refrain from any preemptive military action as Washington continues efforts to revive the nuclear deal.
Reuters reported that the partial evacuation and accompanying security measures have already had economic ripple effects, with global oil prices rising by more than four percent on the news. A US official confirmed that voluntary departures had been authorized for American diplomatic missions in Bahrain and Kuwait.
On Wednesday evening, the State Department updated its global travel advisory to reflect the changes, stating: “On June 11, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel due to heightened regional tensions.”The developments mark a sharp escalation in US-Iran relations, with regional actors bracing for potential fallout if diplomacy fails to yield results.