Bahraini security personnel reinforce US Embassy security in Manama, Bahrain. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
Non-essential staff ordered to leave Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait as military escalation fears grow over Iran’s nuclear program and threats against US forces.
By David Brummer, World Israel News
The United States is preparing to evacuate non-essential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad and has authorized departures from diplomatic missions in Bahrain and Kuwait, as tensions with Iran continue to escalate, US officials confirmed on Wednesday.
While the US Embassy in Baghdad has already operated with reduced staff, the new order reflects growing concern over the potential for violence in the region, according to the US Associated Press news agency.
The Pentagon is on standby to assist in a possible evacuation, according to a US defense official.
The precautionary moves come as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s advancing nuclear program appear to have stalled.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors is expected to vote this week on a resolution censuring Iran — potentially triggering the reimposition of United Nations sanctions under provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal, which technically remains in effect until October.
Iran, for its part, has responded with escalating rhetoric.
On Wednesday, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh told reporters that while Tehran still hopes for a diplomatic resolution, it is fully prepared for conflict.
“If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will certainly be more than ours,” Nasirzadeh warned.
“America must leave the region because all its bases are within our reach, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”
In a separate post on social media, Iran’s mission to the UN dismissed US pressure tactics, saying: “Threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts. Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability.”
The United Kingdom also issued a rare maritime security advisory on Wednesday through its Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center, warning of increased regional tensions that could “lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”
The advisory urged caution in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz — critical shipping lanes near Iranian waters that have been flashpoints for conflict in the past, the Israeli Ynet news website reported.
Although the UKMTO did not name Iran, the timing of the alert added urgency to mounting fears of military confrontation.
Meanwhile, in Israel, speculation is growing that a preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities could be imminent.
Yaakov Bardugo, a media figure closely tied to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israel Radio on Tuesday: “In my view, we are very close to striking Iran. The Americans aren’t delivering results.”
With diplomacy faltering and military posturing on the rise, the region appears to be edging closer to a broader confrontation — one that could endanger US personnel and destabilize vital energy and trade routes across the Middle East.
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