US embassy in Iraq plans to pull personnel, no threat reported: Excl.
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A notification for reducing staff at the US embassy was issued today, aimed at helping families prepare for departure. Evacuation has not yet started, and core personnel will remain in place.
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US State Department Sikorsky HH-60L Black Hawk helicopters escort then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they fly over Baghdad towards the US embassy headquarters on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP)
An informed source revealed to Al Mayadeen that a notification related to reducing the number of personnel at the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, was issued today, although preparations for this move had begun three weeks ago, according to diplomatic sources.
Reuters reported today that the United States is preparing a partial evacuation of its embassy in Baghdad and has authorized military dependents to leave installations across the Middle East due to growing regional security risks, according to US and Iraqi sources.
Four US and two Iraqi officials confirmed the move but did not specify the exact threat prompting the decision. The US State Department did not immediately comment on the development. The news contributed to a $3 spike in oil prices, with Brent crude futures reaching $69.18 per barrel.
Officials confirmed that the notice is not based on an imminent security threat. Instead, it is intended to help the families of diplomats plan for a potential departure in an orderly and timely manner.
The evacuation of embassy staff and their families has not yet begun but is expected to start as early as tomorrow. Despite these developments, core diplomatic staff, including the chargé d’affaires, will remain at the embassy and continue operations.
Iran-US standoff heightens risk of escalation
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of military action against Iran if indirect talks over its nuclear program collapse. On Wednesday, he expressed diminishing confidence that Tehran would agree to halt uranium enrichment, a central US demand.
In response, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any US military strike would be met with retaliation targeting US bases across the region.
The US maintains military forces in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. A US official stated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved the voluntary departure of military dependents from multiple Middle Eastern bases, especially those in Bahrain, which hosts the largest number of families.
Embassy drawdown and military readiness
According to a third US official, the State Department plans to carry out an “ordered departure” for embassy personnel in Baghdad, ideally through commercial flights. However, US military support is on standby if needed.
An official from Iraq’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the partial evacuation, citing "potential security concerns related to possible regional tensions."
Operations at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Washington’s largest regional military hub, remain unchanged. No evacuation has been ordered at the US Embassy in Qatar, which continues to function normally.
Maritime warnings and Iraqi vulnerabilities
Earlier on Wednesday, the UK’s maritime agency issued a warning about the potential for heightened military activity across critical maritime corridors, including the Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising Middle East tensions. The advisory urged vessels to proceed with caution in Iranian-adjacent waters.
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