US Diplomats and Families Begin Phased Return to Middle East Embassies

American diplomats and some of their family members are starting to return to US embassies across the Middle East, months after being evacuated at the onset of the war with Iran. The State Department has begun easing staffing restrictions this week, though most missions are not yet back to full strength.

The move is driven less by a change in policy toward Tehran and more by human-resources regulations. Federal rules limit how long diplomats can remain away from their posts while still receiving full pay and benefits. With the six-month mark of the conflict passing on Friday, those limits were nearing expiration, creating potential hardship for affected personnel.

To address this, the department has introduced a new status called "restricted operations," allowing embassies to resume normal functions while each mission decides on staffing levels and family presence on a case-by-case basis.

Over the past week, embassies in Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain announced that family members may return, with Kuwait and Bahrain restricting this to adults over 18. Earlier, all family members of US government employees in Israel and those over 21 in Lebanon were cleared to come back.

These posts had been under "ordered departure" or "authorized departure" since March, when Iran began retaliating against US and Israeli actions by targeting American interests, including embassies and military sites. Ordered departure requires all nonessential personnel and families to leave, while authorized departure permits them to go.

The State Department said it remains committed to supporting its workforce and will provide updates as further decisions are made. Changes in status for embassies in five other countries in the region are also expected soon.