US orders more diplomatic staff to leave Iraq, Lebanon amid Iran tensions
The United States has ordered additional staff from its diplomatic missions in Iraq and Lebanon to leave the countries, as Washington carried out strikes Sunday on Iranian nuclear facilities.
More diplomatic personnel departed Iraq on Saturday and Sunday as part of ongoing efforts to reduce embassy staffing due to 'regional tensions,' a US official told AFP, after an earlier drawdown.
In Lebanon, the US embassy said that the State Department ordered Sunday the departure of family members and non-emergency US government personnel.
The US official said the reduction was 'part of our ongoing effort to streamline operations, additional personnel departed Iraq on June 21 and 22.'
The departures from Iraq were a continuation of a process that started last week 'out of an abundance of caution and due to heightened regional tensions,' he added.
The embassy and the consulate remain operational.
Earlier on Sunday, Washington joined Israel's war with Tehran as President Donald Trump announced US strikes on Iran's main nuclear sites.
Iran had threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict broke out.
Fears are growing in Iraq over a possible intervention by Iran-backed armed factions, who have threatened Washington's interests in the region if it were to join Israel in its war against Iran.
Iraq, which has for years been navigating a delicate balancing act between its allies, Tehran and Washington, has long been a fertile ground for proxy battles.
On Sunday, the Iraqi government warned 'its deep concern and strong condemnation of the targeting of nuclear facilities' in Iran, spokesperson Basim Alawadi said.
'This military escalation constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East and poses serious risks to regional stability,' he added.
Alawadi warned that 'the continuation of such attacks risks dangerous escalation with consequences that extend beyond the borders of any single state.'
In Lebanon, a statement on the US embassy website said that 'on June 22, 2025, the US Department of State ordered the departure of family members and non-emergency US government personnel from Lebanon due to the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region.'
Washington has a 'do not travel' advisory in place for Lebanon, where Tehran-backed Hezbollah suffered heavy blows in its latest confrontation with Israel last year.
Hezbollah has not expressed any intention to intervene militarily on Iran's side, but its chief Naim Qassem said last week that the group would 'act as we see fit.'
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