WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD. The United States has begun pulling some government personnel and military dependents from several locations in the Middle East due to rising regional tensions, particularly with Iran, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
President Donald Trump confirmed the move, stating that some U.S. personnel were being withdrawn because “it could be a dangerous place,” reiterating that the United States would not permit Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. “We’ve given notice to move out.”
Reuters reported earlier that the U.S. is preparing a partial evacuation of its embassy in Baghdad and has authorized the voluntary departure of military families from countries such as Bahrain and Kuwait.
The U.S. State Department updated its worldwide travel advisory Wednesday evening, citing “heightened regional tensions” as the reason for ordering the departure of non-emergency government personnel. The State Department also emphasized that the move was precautionary.
A U.S. official stated that military dependents, particularly those based in Bahrain, were allowed to leave voluntarily. At the same time, the U.S. embassy in Kuwait remained fully operational with no changes to its staffing levels. Similarly, operations continued as usual at the U.S. embassy in Qatar and the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the region.
However, the planned evacuation in Baghdad is expected to be carried out through commercial means, although U.S. military support is on standby if needed.
Iraqi officials, meanwhile, downplayed the threat, with the state news agency quoting a government source who said Baghdad had not recorded any security alerts warranting such an evacuation.
The heightened alert comes amid stalled nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran. Trump has frequently warned of potential military action if Iran refuses to halt uranium enrichment. In an interview released Wednesday, he expressed growing skepticism about Tehran’s willingness to comply.
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any strikes against Iran would trigger retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases in the region. A senior Iranian official also told Reuters that military threats have long been part of Washington’s negotiating tactics and warned, “Any military action against Iran, whether by the U.S. or Israel, will have serious consequences.”
Adding to regional anxiety, British maritime authorities issued a warning on Wednesday about possible military escalation impacting shipping lanes near Iran, including the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices surged by over 4 percent following news of the evacuation, with Brent crude reaching $69.18 a barrel.
Tensions have flared repeatedly since the war in Gaza erupted in October 2023. Iran-aligned groups in Iraq have launched several attacks on U.S. forces, although such incidents have decreased in recent months. Israel, the U.S.’s top regional ally, has also carried out strikes against Iran-linked forces across Iraq and Syria.
U.S. military deployments in the region have expanded recently, including the dispatch of B-2 bombers and a second aircraft carrier, although both assets have since returned.
General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, recently said he had presented President Trump with “a wide range of options” to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Kurilla postponed his scheduled testimony before Congress this week due to the escalating situation.
In a statement posted on X, Iran’s U.N. mission said, “Threats of ‘overwhelming force’ won’t change facts: Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon and U.S. militarism only fuels instability.”
As the next round of nuclear talks approaches, the region remains on edge, with both diplomacy and deterrence hanging in delicate balance.
