The US State Department is preparing to return its diplomats to a number of its embassies in the Middle East, after they were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, in a move that indicates that the administration of US President Donald Trump does not expect an immediate return to comprehensive hostilities.
According to an internal State Department document reported by the American newspaper “The New York Times,” the return of diplomatic corps employees and the reduction of emergency measures taken in American missions in the region may begin during this week.
Three American officials confirmed these changes to the newspaper, on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The diplomats are scheduled to be returned despite the faltering negotiations between the United States and Iran, which prompted the Trump administration to threaten to impose new economic sanctions.
The plan to increase staff numbers, according to the document, includes US embassies in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The US State Department said, in a statement, that it “is conducting an ongoing review of the security situation in its diplomatic missions around the world. Based on our recent assessment, we are adjusting the number of our employees in some missions in the Middle East to ensure that we continue to achieve US foreign policy goals, while maintaining the safety and security of our employees.”
In late February, one day before the US-Israeli attack on Iran, non-essential embassy employees in Jerusalem and their family members were given the option to leave Israel at government expense.
Over the following weeks, the State Department ordered the evacuation of missions across the Middle East, after Iran and its regional allies targeted American diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and other countries with explosive drones and missiles.
Diplomats assigned to some of those countries worked from their homes instead of embassies, as a precaution.
Current and former US State Department officials believe that the redistribution of employees indicates a decline in tensions, despite the stalling of talks between the United States and Iran regarding extending the 60-day ceasefire that ended last week.
“The return of staff to partially evacuated missions suggests that the administration believes the war is nearing its end,” said Dan Shapiro, who served as the US ambassador to Israel during the Barack Obama administration and was a Defense Department official specializing in Middle East affairs during the Joe Biden administration.
The document indicates that the first returning diplomats will be at the US Embassy in Lebanon, without the mission reaching its full strength at this stage.
Eventually, the entire staff will return to 3 embassies in Israel, Jordan and Oman.
The percentage of employees in the American missions in the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Lebanon will initially reach 85%, compared to 75% in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
The document added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will impose restrictions on taking family members to the six Gulf states and Lebanon.
John R. said: “The restrictions on family members in the Gulf indicate that the government still believes there is an increased risk,” said Bass, Under Secretary of State for Administration during the Biden administration. “They suggest that the threat level is lower than it was 30, 60, or 90 days ago, but higher than it was before the war started.”
Two American officials reported that some diplomats who were evacuated due to the war pressed for clarification regarding their locations, especially those who have children and need to make decisions regarding their places of study before the start of the school year.
It is still unclear whether this pressure influenced the decision, or the extent of its influence, if any.
Former State Department officials cautioned that the return of diplomats and some of their family members to the region may reflect the Trump administration’s desire to avoid renewed fighting, but does not guarantee lasting peace.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Robert Danin said, “The return of embassy staff does not restrict the administration’s authority to take action against Iran in the future.”
“They did it once, they can do it again,” he added, referring to the evacuations of embassy staff earlier in the year.
