US pulls non-essential embassy staff from Lebanon as Iran tensions rise
The US State Department has ordered most US government personnel and their family members to leave the embassy in Lebanon.
WASHINGTON — As the United States weighs military action against Iran, the State Department has ordered the departure of non-essential US government personnel and their eligible family members from the US Embassy in Lebanon.
A senior State Department official said in a statement that it was “prudent” to reduce the US footprint to include only essential personnel at the Beirut embassy. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the embassy remained operational with core staff.
“This is a temporary measure intended to ensure the safety of our personnel while maintaining our ability to operate and assist US citizens,” the official said.
The State Department has previously drawn down staff at Middle East embassies in case of possible retaliation from Iran or its proxies.
Before the US military carried out strikes against Iran’s nuclear program last June, the department reduced the presence of non-essential staff in the region, including its embassies in Baghdad, Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran responded to the strikes with a non-deadly missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the region.
The latest decision to pull American personnel comes as the US military continues to build up its air and naval presence in the Middle East, deploying two aircraft carriers to provide President Donald Trump with potential strike options. Meanwhile, US and Iranian negotiators are set to meet in Geneva on Thursday for a third round of nuclear talks, Oman’s foreign minister said.
The Trump administration has yet to confirm its participation in the talks. Last week, Trump gave Iran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to reach a deal.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS that there was a “good chance” the two sides could reach an agreement on the nuclear issue. Araghchi doubled down on what he said was Iran’s “right to enjoy a peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment.”
Iran’s uranium enrichment was effectively halted as a result of the US bombing of its nuclear facilities. Prior to the strikes, Iran was enriching uranium to 60% — a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% and well beyond what’s necessary for civil nuclear energy.
Steve Witkoff, the special envoy who is leading the negotiations on the American side, said on Saturday that Trump was "curious" as to why Iran hadn’t yet “capitulated” amid the massive US military buildup.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated,’ because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to… why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff told Fox News. “Why, under this pressure — with the amount of seapower and naval power over there — why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’?”
The New York Times reported on Sunday that if diplomatic efforts fail, Trump is considering a targeted attack to pressure Iran’s leaders into abandoning their nuclear program. Should the initial strikes fail to persuade Tehran, a far larger assault would follow in the coming months. Possible targets include the headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as the country’s nuclear and missile sites, the NYT said.
This developing story has been updated since initial publication.
