The US has pulled nonessential staff from its embassy in Iraq amid concerns about a possible Israeli strike on Iran, but officials say any such strike is unlikely to have US support. Sources tell NBC News that Israel is considering a unilateral strike, possibly within days, because talks between the US and Iran appear to be moving toward a deal on uranium enrichment that Israel finds unacceptable. The New York Times, citing a senior Iranian official, reports that Tehran has already devised a counterattack plan that includes launching hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel. A similar attack in October was largely thwarted, with US assistance.
Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran's defense minister, warned Wednesday that US bases would be targeted if nuclear talks failed and conflict broke out. "Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition," he said per Reuters. "If a conflict is imposed on us ... all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries." NBC reports that a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran would be a "dramatic break with the Trump administration," which has argued against striking Iran while nuclear talks are underway. In a podcast recorded Monday, Trump said Iran would be stopped from developing a nuclear bomb whatever happens. "But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying," he said, per Al Jazeera.
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed Thursday that a sixth round of US-Iran talks will take place in Muscat on Sunday, the AP reports. The announcement came as the UN's nuclear watchdog formally rebuked Iran for the first time in more than 20 years. The US has also authorized the departure of dependents and nonessential staff from other countries near Iran, including Bahrain and Kuwait. Asked for the reason Wednesday night, President Trump said, "Well, you're going to have to figure that one out yourself," the Times reports. (More Iran stories.)
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