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Investing.com -- The Trump administration is cutting down embassy staff in Iraq and permitting families of military service members to depart from the Middle East due to security concerns.
The State Department indicated that the decision to reduce staffing in Iraq was "based on our latest analysis," without providing specific details about the threats.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized family members of US military personnel stationed throughout the US Central Command area of operation to leave the region, according to a Pentagon statement.
"CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time," the department said.
The Pentagon’s statement covers most countries in the Middle East region but did not specify the nature of the threats prompting these measures.
Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump expressed decreasing confidence about the prospects for a deal to impose new limits on Iran’s nuclear program during an interview with the New York Post.
Oil markets reacted to the news, with West Texas Intermediate futures climbing over 4% following reports about the US embassy preparing for an ordered departure due to heightened security risks in Iraq, which is the second-largest OPEC producer.
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