War Brewing? U.S. Prepares for the Departure of All Nonessential Staff From Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait Embassies

(ZeroHedge)—Is something brewing amid US-Iran tensions, given the stalled nuclear negotiations and ratcheting accusations, demands, and counter-demands?

The State Department is preparing to order all nonessential personnel to leave the US Embassy in Baghdad due to potential regional unrest, according to two US officials cited in The Associated Press. Additionally:

—U.S. MILITARY DEPENDENTS IN BAHRAIN CAN TEMPORARILY DEPART DUE OF HEIGHTENED REGIONAL TENSIONS- US OFFICIAL TELLS REUTERS

—WTI GAINS 4.6% ON REUTERS REPORT ON US EMBASSY IN IRAQ

Again, the only ‘unrest’ and tension could be Iran-related, though the Baghdad embassy has at various times over several years come under Shia militia attacks, and even rioting outside its gates.

The embassy is already operating with limited staff, so in reality the move affects a small number of people.

As it stands, nonessential personnel and family members in Bahrain and Kuwait are being authorized to leave voluntarily, per the report. The Pentagon has further indicated it is ready to assist with a possible evacuation from the Baghdad embassy.

But if the US and Iran proceed with the next round of talks, these immediate tensions are likely to be defused.

Oil prices spiked (and gold climbing) on the alarming headlines which suggest new regional conflict could be imminent, also with Israel potentially poised to act…

Gold gaining…

According to more background from the report:

Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was set to potentially vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that’s still active until October.

Amid the reports of preparations for embassy departures, Iran’s mission to the U.N. posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts.”

“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism only fuels instability,” the Iranian mission has warned in a public written statement.

President Trump has definitely expressed his preference for negotiated solution, but Iran insists that it be able to keep enriching uranium, at least at low levels, as a matter of national sovereignty.