WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is reducing its staff presence in the Middle East due to potential regional instability, the State Department and military said on Wednesday.
The State Department has ordered the departure of non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. This decision follows a recent review and aims to ensure the safety of Americans abroad. The embassy was already operating with limited staff, and the order won't affect a large number of people.
Additionally, the department is allowing non-essential personnel and family members to leave Bahrain and Kuwait. They have the option to depart at government expense with government assistance.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from various locations in the region. U.S. Central Command is monitoring the growing tensions in the Middle East.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed these actions. She stated that the State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision resulted from a recent review.
Tensions have been increasing in the region as talks between the U.S. and Iran regarding its nuclear program have stalled. The talks aim to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful.
The next round of talks, the sixth, was tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman. However, officials said it's increasingly unlikely to happen.
President Donald Trump expressed less confidence in reaching a deal with Iran. He stated he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal, in an interview recorded Monday and released Wednesday.
Iran's mission to the U.N. posted on social media that threats of force won't change the facts. They stated that Iran isn't seeking a nuclear weapon and that U.S. militarism fuels instability.
Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh stated he hoped talks with the U.S. would yield results, but Tehran is ready to respond. He added that if conflict is imposed, America must leave the region.
The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. This could trigger a return of United Nations sanctions on Iran.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center issued a warning to ships in the region about increased tensions. It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz.
Iraq's state-run Iraqi News Agency stated that the evacuation of some non-essential employees from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was part of procedures related to the U.S. diplomatic presence in several Middle Eastern countries. Iraqi officials have not recorded any security indicators that warrant an evacuation.