US evacuating its embassy in Iraq

An unnamed Iraqi official from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that a "partial evacuation" of US Embassy staff had been decided upon due to potential security risks linked to regional tensions.

Unnamed US officials reported that the US State Department is expected to set flight times for embassy personnel in Baghdad, noting that they hope to handle this through civilian means, but that the US military is on standby should assistance be required. An official from the US State Department also confirmed that the evacuation of the embassy has begun.

Another US official claimed that families of US military personnel stationed in Bahrain have been permitted to temporarily leave the country due to rising tensions in the region.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly confirmed the evacuation of the US Embassy in Baghdad, stating, "The State Department regularly reviews the status of US personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review." she said.

NO EVACUATION ORDER FOR QATAR

It was stated that there are no changes to operations at the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is the largest US military base in the Middle East, and that there is no evacuation order for personnel and their families working at the US Embassy in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh stated today, "If a conflict occurs with the US during nuclear negotiations, we will strike US bases in the region."

News Source: İHA