US prepares to evacuate embassy in Iraq, authorizes family members to leave Middle East
Non-essential US embassy staff and their dependants in Baghdad are to be evacuated from Iraq due to heightened security risks, US government sources have said.
Officials did not say exactly what prompted the removal, however, in recent days talks over Iran’s nuclear programme appear to have stalled.
A US state department official told the BBC on Wednesday: “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.”This move comes after weeks of talks between the US and Iran – President Trump has hoped to strike a deal to stop Tehran developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump said on Wednesday he was growing less confident that Iran would stop enriching uranium.
Earlier this week he also held a 40-minute phone call – said to be “tense” – with Israel’s prime minister, who has long argued for a military rather than diplomatic approach.
Asked on Wednesday evening about the decision to evacuate staff from multiple parts of the Middle East, Trump said: “Well, they are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.”
He added: “But they are been – and we’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.
US to partially evacuate embassy in Iraq over security threats”
Non-essential US embassy staff and their dependants in Baghdad are to be evacuated from Iraq due to heightened security risks, US government sources have said.
Officials did not say exactly what prompted the removal, however, in recent days talks over Iran’s nuclear programme appear to have stalled.
A US state department official told the BBC on Wednesday: “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.”This move comes after weeks of talks between the US and Iran – President Trump has hoped to strike a deal to stop Tehran developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump said on Wednesday he was growing less confident that Iran would stop enriching uranium.
Earlier this week he also held a 40-minute phone call – said to be “tense” – with Israel’s prime minister, who has long argued for a military rather than diplomatic approach.
Asked on Wednesday evening about the decision to evacuate staff from multiple parts of the Middle East, Trump said: “Well, they are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.”
He added: “But they are been – and we’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.
