While the United States is intensifying its economic sanctions against Iran, The New York Times reported on August 25 that the U.S. State Department is preparing to send back diplomats who will be withdrawn from the region before and after the U.S-Iran conflict to various embassies in the Middle East.
Reports say that this indicates that Washington expects no further full-scale conflicts between the United States and Iran.
A document from the United States Department of State shows that diplomats stationed in the Middle East may be allowed to return to their posts as early as this week, and emergency measures will be reduced.
Three U.S. officials, without authorization, requested anonymity and confirmed the aforementioned adjustments.
The documents indicate that embassies planned to return to a higher staffing level include those of the United States in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The United States Department of State stated in a statement that it is "continuously assessing the security situation of our diplomatic missions around the world. Based on our latest assessment, we are adjusting the staffing levels in the Middle East to ensure that we can continue to advance the United States' foreign policy objectives while protecting personnel safety."
According to reports, in late February, the day before the US and Israel attacked Iran, non-emergency staff of the US Embassy in Jerusalem and their families were allowed to leave Israel at their own expense or with financial support from the government.
In the coming weeks, as Iran and its regional allies used drones and rockets to attack American diplomatic bases in countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq, the U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-essential government personnel from several Middle Eastern countries.
Current and former officials from the United States Department of State pointed out that, despite the stalled negotiations between the US and Iran regarding a cease-fire agreement, signals of the redeployment of diplomats indicate that tensions are easing.
Dan Shapiro, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Israel under the Obama administration and as an official responsible for Middle East affairs in the Department of Defense under the Biden administration, said that allowing those who were previously evacuated to return to their posts indicates that the government believes the war is coming to an end.
It is worth mentioning that in the Gulf States and Lebanon, the U.S. State Department will continue to impose restrictions on the families of diplomats who accompany them.
In the period when Biden served as Secretary of State, John R. Bass, who served as Deputy Secretary of State, stated: “The restrictions on family members accompanying officials to the Gulf region indicate that the government still considers a significant risk. While the current threat environment is lower than 30, 60, or 90 days before a conflict began, it remains higher than pre-war levels.”
Two American officials revealed that some diplomats who were evacuated due to the war previously pressured the State Department to clarify their locations of deployment—especially those with children who need to decide on school arrangements before the start of the academic year. It is currently unclear whether this pressure had an impact on the decision-making process, and if any impact there was, how significant it was.
Former State Department officials warned that allowing diplomats and some of their families to return to the Middle East might indicate that the Trump administration wants to avoid a recurrence of conflicts, but this does not guarantee lasting peace.
"Recall the staff of the embassy and will not shackle their hands (of the Trump administration) in future actions against Iran." said Robert Deng, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for Near East Affairs.
During our discussion of the embassy evacuation operation earlier this year, Dainan added, “They’ve done it once, they can do it again.”
