Trump Confirms U.S. Withdrawal from Middle East Citing Rising Tensions with Iran

Washington: Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and stalled nuclear negotiations with Iran, the United States has announced plans to withdraw some of its personnel from the region. President Donald Trump confirmed the move, citing security concerns.

Speaking to the media, Trump said the decision to pull out American personnel was taken as a precautionary measure due to the growing instability in the area. "They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we will see what happens. We have given notice to move out," he stated.

When asked about possible steps to ease tensions, Trump remained firm on his position regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities. "They can't have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can't have a nuclear weapon. We're not going to allow that," he emphasized.

The announcement comes amid reports that the U.S. is preparing for a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq. The State Department confirmed the move, saying, "Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq. We are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies."

In a related development, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved the voluntary departure of military dependents from the Middle East. Although the specific threats prompting the drawdown in Iraq remain unclear, the move reflects rising concern over regional security.

Adding to the urgency, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton revealed that Defense Secretary Hegseth had confirmed intelligence reports indicating that Iran is actively working to develop a nuclear weapon. This comes as negotiations between Washington and Tehran on reviving the nuclear deal remain deadlocked.

The developments point to growing volatility in the region and a shifting U.S. strategy in response to renewed threats and diplomatic stalemates.

With inputs from IANS