The United States urges its citizens in the Middle East to exercise caution
The United States urged its citizens in Israel and the Middle East in general to "exercise caution" on Thursday.
"Given the heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex and rapidly changing," the State Department said in a post on the X platform.
 |
| Trump hinted at the possibility of Israel striking Iran |
The department continued: "We remind American citizens in Israel and the region to remain vigilant and encourage them to monitor the news for the latest developments."
The region is experiencing fears of a potential conflict between Israel and Iran, coinciding with the faltering nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that an Israeli attack on Iran was "very possible, but not imminent," adding that he wanted to avoid conflict with Tehran and reach a peaceful solution to its nuclear program.
Trump's comments came after the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors declared that Iran was violating its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. Tehran responded by announcing countermeasures, while an Iranian official said that a "friendly nation" had warned his country of a possible Israeli attack.
US and Iranian officials and Omani mediators said the sixth round of talks between the United States and Iran will be held Sunday in Muscat.
However, security concerns have increased since Trump said on Wednesday that Americans were leaving the region because it "could become a dangerous place" and that he would not allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed Washington's concern about the possibility of Israel carrying out military action against Iran in the coming days, despite Trump's recent warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching such a strike while US diplomatic efforts with Tehran continue.
US intelligence indicates that Israel is making preparations to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, but a US official said there are no indications that Israel has made a final decision.
"I don't want to say it's imminent, but it looks like it could very well happen," Trump told reporters during a White House event, reiterating his assertion that "Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon."
He added, "I want to avoid conflict. Iran will have to negotiate more seriously, which means it will have to offer us something it is currently unwilling to offer."
The oil-producing region is already suffering the consequences of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip that began in October 2023.
Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if nuclear talks fail to produce an agreement, and said he has less and less confidence in Tehran agreeing to halt uranium enrichment, a demand Iran rejects and which is demanding the lifting of US sanctions imposed since 2018.
Earlier Thursday, Trump expressed his displeasure with the rise in oil prices amid supply concerns stemming from a potential conflict in the Middle East.
With Washington failing to adequately explain its security concerns, some foreign diplomats have suggested that the evacuation of US personnel and officials, which has raised the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran, may be a ploy to increase pressure on Tehran to make concessions at the negotiating table.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that the latest tensions aim to "influence Tehran to change its position on its nuclear rights" during talks scheduled for Sunday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was quoted by state media as saying on Thursday that even if nuclear facilities are destroyed by bombs, Iran will rebuild them.