The US is telling some of its officials and their families to leave Lebanon amid tensions in Iran
Listen to this article
Average 4 minutes
The audio version of this article was created by AI-based technology. It can be mispronounced. We are working with our partners to continuously review and improve the results.
The United States has ordered non-essential diplomats and their family members at the US Embassy in Beirut to leave Lebanon, the State Department said on Monday, amid rising tensions with Iran and the threat of an imminent military strike.
The department said in an updated travel warning for US citizens in Lebanon that it had “ordered the travel of non-emergency US government employees and family members of government employees due to the security situation in Beirut.”
The warning, which was officially issued hours after word began to spread about the move, said American workers remaining in Lebanon would face travel restrictions in the country.
A department official said earlier that an ongoing assessment of the region’s security environment had determined it was “prudent” to reduce the footprint of the US Embassy in Beirut so that only essential personnel remain in their posts.
This official, who did not want his name to be disclosed before the move was officially announced, said that this is a temporary measure and the embassy will continue to operate.
Lebanon has been the site of many Iran-related retaliatory attacks against American facilities, interests and personnel for decades, given Tehran’s support and influence with the terrorist group Hezbollah. Hezbollah was blamed for the bombings of the US Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the embassy annex in 1984.
The embassy often changes the bellwether
Therefore, changes in the personnel situation of the American embassy in Beirut are often seen as one of the possible military actions of the US or Israel in the region, especially against Iran. Beirut and other embassies in the region, including Iraq, decided to go the same way, just before US President Donald Trump ordered to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities last June.
As US President Donald Trump’s Mideast ‘armada’ approaches Iran, CBC News has tracked the location and movement of naval vessels and military aircraft in the region.
It was unclear whether other US embassies in the Middle East would implement similar orders.
Tensions have increased between the US and Iran as Trump has built up the largest military presence in the Middle East in decades and repeatedly threatened action if Tehran does not negotiate a deal to freeze its nuclear program. The second carrier is headed to the region to join dozens of other US warships and aircraft, giving the Republican president more options for a possible strike as negotiations continue.
Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said the US and Iran plan to hold the next round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva. An American official who was not authorized to comment publicly and did not want to be identified, confirmed the meeting.
Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, told CBS on Sunday that he expects to meet with US Ambassador Steve Witkoff and said a “great opportunity” remains for a political solution to the nuclear issue.
Araghchi said the proposed deal would be ready to share within days, and told CBS that Iran is still working on it.
Trump ‘considering’ limited military action
Asked Friday if the U.S. could take limited military action as countries negotiate, Trump said, “I think I can say I’m considering that.”
He also told reporters later that Iran “had better negotiate a fair deal.”
Indirect talks between the long-time adversaries in recent weeks have made little tangible progress. Apart from the nuclear program, Iran has refused to discuss broad US and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and cut ties with armed groups.
A second State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not yet been officially announced, said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may delay his intended trip to Israel this weekend.
