US says reducing presence in Iraq
WASHINGTON - The United States is reducing its footprint in Iraq and evacuating non-essential staff in line with measures to keep its diplomatic personnel safe, two US officials told Rudaw on Wednesday.
“We are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce our Mission in Iraq,” the State Department said in an email.
It came after reports that Washington was preparing to partially evacuate its embassy in Iraq due to “heightened security risks in the region,” according to Reuters, citing American and Iraqi sources.
The potential evacuation, which sent oil prices rising, is also taking place amid ongoing talks between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump expressed pessimism over the Islamic republic’s readiness to cease uranium enrichment - a key US demand.
“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad,” the State Department official said.
A Pentagon official later told Rudaw that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth "authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the Middle East, saying the decision came amid rising regional tensions.
In response, an Iraqi government source said that Washington's decision to partially reduce its diplomatic presence is not exclusive to Iraq.
“These steps concern measures related to the American diplomatic presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries and not only Iraq,” the source said while praising Iraq’s security and stability, as reported by state media.
On Wednesday, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh threatened attacks on American bases in the region if the ongoing nuclear talks faltered and Iran was subjected to military strikes.
“If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will certainly be higher, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,” Nasirzadeh said. “We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if the two sides fail to reach a deal.
Also on Wednesday, Iraqi army chief of staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah met Major General Kevin Leahy, commander of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), to discuss expanding joint military cooperation against terrorism in the region, according to an Iraqi defense ministry statement.
This is a developing story…