State Department authorizes Middle East evacuations as Iran speculation swirls

The State Department has authorized a partial evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, while allowing military dependents to leave various locations around the Middle East, U.S. and Iraqi sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The officials told Reuters the move was made due to “heightened security risks,” but did not specify which threats prompted the decision. Tensions between Iran and Israel have put the region on high alert as Israel has said its forces would strike Iran if ongoing nuclear talks do not bear fruit.

“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Reuters.

Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh also said Wednesday that Iran could retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East if nuclear talks fail and the U.S. gets involved in a conflict with Tehran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departures of military dependents from U.S. bases in the Middle East, with the base in Bahrain housing the majority of the affected persons, according to The Associated Press. The U.S. has a military presence in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Iraq.

“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad,” a State Department spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “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 Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

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