The United States has initiated the evacuation of non-essential staff and their families from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, citing heightened security risks in Iraq. While officials did not specify the exact cause, reports from CBS suggest the decision follows intelligence received Wednesday that Israel is prepared to launch a military operation against Iran, a factor believed to have influenced the move.
Concerns are high that Iran could retaliate against U.S. targets in Iraq if Israel proceeds with an attack, prompting U.S. authorities to advise their citizens to depart the region.
Nuclear Talks and Escalating Rhetoric
This development unfolds as nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran remain stalled. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is still expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday in Muscat for the sixth round of negotiations.
A U.S. State Department official told the BBC, “We are constantly evaluating the situation of personnel at our embassies. Based on the latest analysis, we decided to reduce our presence in Iraq.”
President Donald Trump stated from the Kennedy Center on Wednesday that Americans have been advised to leave the region because it “could become a dangerous place.” He reiterated that the U.S. would not permit Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Trump has expressed increasing doubts about Iran’s intent to halt uranium enrichment and held a tense 40-minute phone call this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who advocates a military approach towards Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that Iran would strike U.S. bases in the region should nuclear talks fail and the U.S. undertake military attacks.
According to Reuters, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also authorized the voluntary departure of military personnel families from other Middle Eastern countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain. Approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Iraq.
