The US is poised to send diplomatic staff back to embassies in the Middle East that were cleared out amid the war with Iran, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing an internal State Department document and three anonymous US officials.
According to the report, the move suggests Washington does not expect the military conflict to reignite in the immediate future, despite the stalled negotiations between the US and Iran.
With talks in a deadlock, Washington has increasingly turned to economic pressure in an apparent effort to force Tehran to make concessions at the negotiating table. On Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled what he described as an “economic D-Day” of secondary sanctions intended to “sever every economic lifeline” sustaining Iran.
The diplomats’ redeployment is expected to start as soon as this week.
The report named several countries expected to get staff reinstated, including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman.
