The U.S. government is preparing to send back diplomats to its embassies in the Middle East, which were evacuated following the war with Iran. This move aligns with a recent shift towards economic pressure on Iran rather than military action, raising speculation that the U.S. may be stepping back from a full-scale military confrontation.
According to a report by the New York Times, which obtained internal documents from the State Department, the return of diplomats and the easing of emergency measures at embassies could begin this week.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon is expected to resume normal operations first. All diplomats are set to return to the embassies in Israel, Jordan, and Oman. However, restrictions on the entry of diplomats' families will remain in place.
Following the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel, the State Department ordered the evacuation of U.S. personnel from embassies in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Iraq due to Iranian attacks on neighboring countries.
The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait had fully suspended operations in March but resumed emergency consular services for Americans at the end of June.
Experts view the redeployment of diplomatic personnel as a sign of de-escalation amid stalled ceasefire negotiations with Iran.
Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, noted that sending diplomats back to previously evacuated areas indicates that the U.S. administration believes the war is entering a phase of resolution.
However, some analysts caution that the return of diplomats does not eliminate the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran. Robert Danin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, stated that the return of embassy staff does not preclude future U.S. actions, especially given that military operations have already occurred.
The State Department has not provided specific comments regarding the return of diplomats to the Middle East. It did, however, confirm that it continuously assesses the security posture of diplomatic missions worldwide and adjusts personnel deployments based on recent evaluations, considering both staff safety and diplomatic objectives.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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