Washington’s Diplomats Return to the Middle East... Has the Page Turned on the War With Iran?
The New York Times reported that the U.S. State Department is preparing to return American diplomats to embassies in the Middle East that were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, suggesting that the Trump administration does not expect a resumption of full-scale hostilities.
According to an internal State Department document obtained by The Times, diplomatic personnel could begin returning as early as this week, while emergency measures put in place at U.S. missions across the Middle East could be scaled back.
Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, also described these changes.
The return of personnel is expected to proceed despite stalled talks between the United States and Iran, which have prompted the Trump administration to threaten new economic sanctions.
The document says the embassies where higher staffing levels are expected to be restored include those in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait.