The US is getting ready a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq and has authorised “the voluntary departure” of dependants of US personnel from places throughout the Center East, together with Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as regional security concerns rise.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) mentioned in a press release on Wednesday that Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth had authorised the departure of navy dependants within the area and that CENTCOM was “monitoring the growing pressure”.
Orders for all nonessential personnel to depart the US Embassy in Baghdad – which was already on restricted staffing – was primarily based on a dedication “to protecting Individuals secure, each at residence and overseas”, the Division of State mentioned.
Talking on Wednesday night, US President Donald Trump mentioned the order to maneuver employees out had been given as a result of the area “might be a harmful place”.
“We’ll see what occurs. We’ve given discover to maneuver out, and we’ll see what occurs,” Trump mentioned.
Trump then added in reference to Iran: “They will’t have a nuclear weapon, quite simple. We’re not going to permit that.”
Uncertainty has been rising in latest days as talks between the US and Iran over its nuclear programme seem to have hit an deadlock.
US information broadcaster CBS reported late on Wednesday that US officers have been knowledgeable that Israel is “fully ready” to launch an attack on Iran and that Washington “anticipates” that Tehran may retaliate by focusing on “sure American websites in neighbouring Iraq”.
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington, DC, mentioned there have been clear indicators in latest days of high-level discussions between senior navy officers and the Trump administration amid concern across the ongoing talks with Iran over its nuclear programme.
“Donald Trump has within the final couple of days … expressed his concern {that a} deal won’t have the ability to be carried out,” Fisher mentioned.
“Due to this fact, we’re seeing, successfully, the partial evacuation of the embassy in Baghdad with non-military personnel and non-essential employees being moved out. And the voluntary evacuation of different embassies within the area,” he mentioned.
“They’ve carried out this type of factor earlier than,” Fisher mentioned, noting the Baghdad embassy was partially evacuated beforehand over “considerations that the embassy may turn out to be a goal for Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq”.
“Clearly, there’s some concern that the discussions with the Iranians aren’t going properly. Or, it might be that that is all designed to place strain on Iranians. As a result of, you’ll keep in mind, that Donald Trump mentioned that in the event that they couldn’t get some type of deal, then … there might be some type of navy motion in opposition to the Iranians.”
As stories of US embassy employees and dependants departing the Center East area emerged, Iran’s mission to the United Nations posted on social media that “Iran shouldn’t be in search of a nuclear weapon, and US militarism solely fuels instability”.
“Threats of ‘overwhelming power’ received’t change the info,” the Iranian mission mentioned.
“Diplomacy – not militarism – is the one path ahead,” it added.
Threats of “overwhelming power” received’t change info:
Iran shouldn’t be in search of a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism solely fuels instability.CENTCOM’s legacy of fueling regional instability, by arming aggressors and enabling Israeli crimes, strips it of any credibility to talk on…
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) June 11, 2025
Individually, Iranian Defence Minister Normal Aziz Nasirzadeh informed reporters earlier that he hoped talks with the US would achieve success, although Tehran stood prepared to reply to any aggression.
“If battle is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will definitely be greater than ours, and in that case, America should depart the area, as a result of all its bases are inside our attain,” he mentioned.
“Now we have entry to them, and we’ll goal all of them within the host international locations with out hesitation.”
The following spherical of talks – the sixth – between the US and Iran on limits to Tehran’s nuclear programme in trade for lifting sanctions on the nation have been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, in response to stories, and Trump’s Center East envoy, Steve Witkoff, continues to be scheduled to attend.
