US prepares to return diplomats to Middle East embassies after Iran war

The United States is preparing to return diplomats to its Middle East embassies evacuated after the outbreak of war with Iran, The New York Times reported Tuesday (local time).

The move comes alongside a recent strategic shift toward applying economic pressure on Iran rather than pursuing military options, fueling speculation that Washington has stepped back from a full-scale strike against Tehran.

According to an internal State Department document obtained by The New York Times, the return of diplomats evacuated from Middle East posts and a scaling back of emergency measures at those embassies could begin this week.

The US Embassy in Lebanon is set to resume operations first. All diplomats are expected to return to the US embassies in Israel, Jordan and Oman.

However, restrictions on the entry of diplomats' family members will remain in place.

After Iran struck back against neighboring Middle Eastern countries following the outbreak of hostilities, the State Department ordered the evacuation of its missions in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq.

The US Embassy in Kuwait suspended all operations in March before resuming emergency consular services for American citizens in late June.

Experts said the plan to redeploy diplomatic staff — even as truce negotiations with Iran remain deadlocked — signals a de-escalation of tensions.

Dan Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, said the move "suggests the administration believes the war is slowly coming to a stop."

However, analysts cautioned that while the step may reflect the Trump administration's desire to avoid renewed fighting, it does not guarantee a lasting peace.

Robert Danin, a former State Department deputy assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, said the return of embassy staff "doesn't mean the US is precluded from taking action against Iran in the future," adding, "They've done it once — they can do it again."

The State Department, responding to questions about the embassy returns, said it was "reviewing the security posture of diplomatic missions worldwide" and was "adjusting staffing at some posts in the Middle East based on recent assessments" to ensure it could "protect personnel while continuing to advance US foreign policy objectives."