Iraq sees no threat to evacuate US embassy staff, yet preparations underway

Iraqi authorities have not identified any security threats that would necessitate the evacuation of personnel from the US Embassy in Baghdad, even as preparations for such an evacuation are underway, said an Iraqi government source.

“The Iraqi side has not recorded any security incidents that would require the evacuation of secondary staff from the US Embassy,” the source told Iraqi media, as reported by Caliber.Az.

The source emphasised that “all indicators” point to a “restoration of internal security and stability in the country.”

However, the source confirmed that the evacuation of certain US Embassy personnel is being prepared, noting that it is not limited to Iraq and will also affect American diplomatic missions in other Middle Eastern countries.

Meanwhile, US government sources said that non-essential US embassy staff and their dependents in Baghdad are to be evacuated from Iraq due to heightened security risks.

Officials did not say exactly what prompted the removal, but have been told Israel was ready to launch an operation into Iran.

This was part of the reason some Americans were advised to leave the region, officials said, adding that they anticipated Iran could retaliate on certain US sites in Iraq.

It comes as US talks over Iran's nuclear programme appear to have stalled in recent days.

By Khagan Isayev