The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem restricted the movement of employees on Thursday as American diplomats and soldiers in the Middle East scrambled ahead of a possible Israeli attack on Iran.
The restrictions bar travel outside the greater Tel Aviv area, Jerusalem and Beersheba, with some exceptions, the embassy said on its website.
A few months ago, President Trump waved off an Israeli plan to attack Iran, favoring negotiations with Tehran to try to stop activities that could be geared toward producing a nuclear weapon.
More recently, however, Mr. Trump has said that he was less convinced that talks with Iran would yield a new nuclear deal.
At an April conference in Jerusalem, he said that Mr. Trump told him he was committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
The U. A. As American soldiers and diplomats in the Middle East frantically prepared for a potential Israeli attack on Iran, the embassy in Jerusalem Wednesday restricted the movement of its staff.
The embassy’s instruction to staff members and their families was a reflection of growing anxiety over possible Iranian reprisals in the event that Israel went ahead with a strike. According to the embassy’s website, the restrictions prohibit travel outside of Jerusalem, Beersheba, and the greater Tel Aviv area, with a few exceptions.
The U.S. withdrew its diplomats from Iraq and permitted the voluntary departure of U.S. S. Middle Eastern military relatives.
The Trump administration’s attempt to reach an agreement with Tehran to curtail its nuclear program may be jeopardized if Israel appears to be preparing for an imminent attack on Iran, according to information published by The New York Times on Wednesday.
In order to try to halt activities that might be geared toward producing a nuclear weapon, President Trump favored talks with Tehran and waved off an Israeli attack plan a few months ago.
However, Mr. Trump has recently stated that he was less certain that negotiations with Iran would result in a new nuclear agreement.
In a podcast interview with The New York Post on Wednesday, he stated, “I’m becoming less and less confident about it.”. They seem to be taking their time, which is unfortunate, in my opinion. “.”.
An inquiry about the potential Israeli attack on Iran was not immediately answered by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Thursday. The Israeli armed forces chose not to respond.
Mr. Netanyahu has stated time and time again that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons. At a conference in Jerusalem in April, he claimed that Mr. Trump assured him that he was dedicated to keeping Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
David E. and Michael Crowley. Sanger helped with the reporting for this article.