US Orders Partial Evacuation from Middle East Amid Rising Iran Tensions, Citing “Dangerous Place”
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that American personnel are being relocated from Middle East positions due to safety concerns, reaffirming Washington’s commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.
According to Reuters sources, the United States is orchestrating a limited evacuation of embassy staff from Iraq while permitting military family members to depart various Middle Eastern locations in response to elevated security threats. The move involves four American and two Iraqi officials who declined to specify the exact nature of the security concerns driving this decision.
News of the potential evacuation caused oil markets to surge over 4 percent, reflecting investor anxiety about regional stability.
State Department officials confirmed authorization for voluntary departures from both Bahrain and Kuwait. The department’s updated global travel advisory, issued Wednesday evening, stated: “On June 11, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel due to heightened regional tensions.”
The evacuation order emerges during a particularly tense period for the region. Trump’s diplomatic efforts to secure a nuclear agreement with Iran have reached an impasse, while American intelligence suggests Israel is preparing potential military action against Iranian nuclear installations.
“They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump explained to media representatives. “We’ve given notice to move out.”
When questioned about de-escalation possibilities, Trump remained firm: “They can’t have a nuclear weapon. Very simple, they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
The president has consistently warned of potential military action should nuclear negotiations with Iran collapse. In a recent interview, Trump expressed diminishing optimism about Tehran’s willingness to halt uranium enrichment—a central American requirement.
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh responded Wednesday by warning that any strikes against Iran would trigger retaliatory attacks on American installations throughout the region.
The US embassy in Kuwait clarified in an official statement that it “has not changed its staffing posture and remains fully operational.”
Strategic Military Positioning
American military infrastructure spans the oil-rich region, with installations in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved voluntary departures for military dependents across Middle Eastern locations, according to US officials. The directive primarily affects family members stationed in Bahrain, where the majority are based.
“The State Department is set to have an ordered departure for (the) US embassy in Baghdad. The intent is to do it through commercial means, but the US military is standing by if help is requested,” a senior US official explained.
Iraq’s state news agency quoted government sources denying any security indicators warranting evacuation measures.
Officials confirmed that operations at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar America’s largest Middle Eastern military facility remain unchanged, with no evacuation orders issued for personnel or families associated with the US embassy in Qatar.
Regional Tensions and Market Impact
Oil futures jumped $3 following Baghdad evacuation reports, with Brent crude reaching $69.18 per barrel.
Britain’s maritime authority issued warnings Wednesday about potential escalation in Middle Eastern military activities that could affect shipping through vital waterways. The agency advised vessel operators to exercise caution when navigating the Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Straits of Hormuz all bordering Iran.
The British Foreign Office announced it would monitor developments and continuously assess its Iraqi embassy operations following American actions.
Iraq maintains unique relationships with both the United States and Iran regional adversaries while hosting 2,500 American troops. However, Tehran-supported armed groups maintain connections to Iraqi security forces.
Internal Iraqi tensions have escalated since the Gaza conflict began in October 2023, with Iran-aligned militias repeatedly targeting US forces, though such attacks have decreased since last year.
Israel and Iran conducted unprecedented direct military exchanges in recent years, with missiles and drones crossing Iraqi airspace marking the first such confrontations between these longstanding regional rivals.
Israel, America’s key regional partner, has struck Iranian-linked targets across the area, including Iraqi militant groups operating in both Iraq and Syria.
Recent months have seen increased US military deployments to the Middle East, including B-2 bomber missions and extended aircraft carrier presence, though these assets have since been reassigned.
Diplomatic Developments
Upcoming nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States are scheduled for the coming days, with Iran expected to present counter-proposals after rejecting Washington’s previous offer.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that military threats have consistently been part of America’s negotiating strategy with Iran.
“Any military action against Iran, whether by the US or Israel, will have serious consequences,” the official cautioned.
Iran’s UN mission posted on X Wednesday: “Threats of ‘overwhelming force’ won’t change facts: Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon and US militarism only fuels instability.”
This statement appeared to address earlier comments by US Army General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, head of US Central Command, who told the president he had prepared “a wide range of options” to prevent Iranian nuclear weapons development.
Kurilla postponed his scheduled Thursday testimony before Congress due to Middle Eastern tensions, according to two additional US officials.