TSGT Scott Reed, USAF
The United States and the United Kingdom are reducing troop levels at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as U.S. President Donald Trump weighs whether to take action against Iran over its crackdown on anti-government protests.
Officials told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that the partial US withdrawal was a “precautionary measure”. The BBC understands that some British military personnel are also being made redundant.
A statement from the Qatari government said the measures to be taken by the United States were “in response to current regional tensions.”
The Foreign Office has also temporarily closed the British embassy in Tehran, which will now operate remotely, a government spokesperson said.
Rights groups say more than 2,400 anti-government protesters have been killed in the recent violent crackdown by Iranian authorities.
Regarding the withdrawal of military personnel, the Qatari government said it would continue to “implement all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military installations.”
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defense declined to comment on reports that British personnel had been withdrawn “for operational security reasons.”
Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East and around 10,000 people are based there, along with around 100 British personnel. We don’t know how many people will leave.
Earlier this week, Trump warned that the United States would take “very strong action” against Iran if authorities executed protesters. Iran has said it would retaliate if attacked by the United States.
On Wednesday, he said his administration had been informed “on good authority” that “the killings in Iran are stopping and there are no plans for executions.”
When questioned by a reporter, Trump said these were “very important sources on the other side” and that he hoped the information was true.
The US president was also asked if military action was now off the table, to which he replied: “We will observe and see what the process is.”
The Reuters news agency, citing diplomats, reported that although some personnel had been ordered to leave Al-Udeid air base, there was no immediate sign of large numbers of troops being evacuated by bus as in the operation. hours before an Iranian strike last year.
Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Donald Trump “not to repeat the same mistake he made in June,” adding: “You know, if you try a failed experiment, you’ll get the same result.”
In addition to temporarily closing the British embassy in Tehran, the US mission in Saudi Arabia advised its staff and citizens to “exercise increased caution and limit non-essential travel to military installations in the region.”
Italy and Poland issued statements calling on their citizens to leave Iran, while Germany issued a notice to airline operators recommending that flights not enter Tehran, citing the potential risk from “conflict escalation and anti-aircraft weapons.”
The Iranian government accused the United States of seeking to “manufacture a pretext for military intervention,” with the speaker of Parliament warning that if the United States attacked, Israeli and American military and maritime centers in the region would become legitimate targets.
The latest protests in Iran began in late December following the collapse of the currency and as the country faces a soaring cost of living.
They quickly expanded to demands for political change and became one of the most serious challenges to the religious establishment since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had so far confirmed the killing of 2,403 protesters, as well as 12 children, despite an internet blackout. More than 18,434 protesters were arrested during the unrest, the group also reported.
Amnesty International said there had been “unlawful mass killings committed on an unprecedented scale”, citing “verified videos and credible information from eyewitnesses in Iran”.
The organization urged UN member states to recognize “crimes committed by security forces” during the protests.
