Baghdad, Iraq — The United States has ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel and their dependents from its embassy in Baghdad due to escalating security concerns, according to US government sources.
While officials have not confirmed the precise cause behind the move, reports suggest it follows intelligence that Israel may be preparing a military operation against Iran. As a result, US officials have warned that American assets in Iraq could become potential targets for Iranian retaliation.
The development comes amid a stall in US-Iran nuclear negotiations, with tensions in the region rising significantly. Despite this, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to proceed with planned nuclear talks on Sunday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Muscat, as reported by Axios.
A spokesperson for the US State Department told the BBC, “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.”
President Donald Trump, speaking from the Kennedy Center, reiterated the administration’s firm stance against Iran developing nuclear weapons. “We’re not going to allow that,” he said, adding that Americans were advised to leave the region “because it could be a dangerous place.”
Trump recently held a reportedly tense 40-minute phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has long favored military action over diplomatic engagement with Tehran.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors is scheduled to meet Monday in Vienna to discuss Iran’s nuclear activities. The meeting follows a critical report by the IAEA, which cited Iran’s inadequate cooperation and failure to clarify the presence of nuclear materials at undeclared sites. Tehran dismissed the findings, calling the report unbalanced and accusing the IAEA of relying on fabricated evidence supplied by Israel.
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any military strike by the US would be met with retaliation against American bases across the Middle East.
In a further indication of rising tensions, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved the voluntary departure of military families from several regional countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain, according to Reuters.
Speaking to a congressional panel on Wednesday, the Pentagon expressed concern that Iran appeared to be advancing towards capabilities resembling a nuclear weapon. Iran continues to insist that its uranium enrichment program is strictly for civilian energy purposes and denies any intention of developing an atomic bomb.
The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations unit issued a cautionary notice on Wednesday, warning that increased military activity in the Middle East could pose a risk to commercial shipping in the region.
Following the US evacuation announcement, global oil prices surged by more than 4% on fears that conflict could disrupt supply routes.
Approximately 2,500 US troops are currently stationed in Iraq. The region last saw major escalation in January 2020, when Iran launched missile attacks on US military bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Though no American soldiers were killed, dozens suffered traumatic brain injuries.
