Embassies Evacuate in Mideast With Trump ‘Not Happy’ On Iran

Countries including the US, UK and China evacuated embassy staff in the Middle East and issued travel advisories amid concerns about a regional conflict, as President Donald Trump on Friday sounded downbeat about diplomatic talks meant to avert airstrikes on Iran.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Countries including the US, UK and China evacuated embassy staff in the Middle East and issued travel advisories amid concerns about a regional conflict, as President Donald Trump on Friday sounded downbeat about diplomatic talks meant to avert airstrikes on Iran.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.“We’re not happy with what’s going on. They should make a deal, they’d be smart if they made a deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House. The president added that there will be “additional talks today,” without providing details. “We want no nuclear weapons by Iran, and they’re not saying those golden words,” Trump said.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.The US on Friday told non-emergency staff at its embassy in Jerusalem that they’re allowed to leave Israel — with the country being vulnerable to Iranian retaliation if it participates in a US attack.Washington issued a similar evacuation order for its diplomatic mission in Beirut on Monday. Other countries including the UK, China and India have also advised citizens or diplomats to leave some parts of the Middle East. Australia, Poland, Finland, Sweden and Singapore are among other countries advising citizens to leave the region. The UK also said it’s temporarily withdrawing diplomatic staff from Iran. The flurry of evacuations and warnings comes as the US continues to assemble a vast array of military forces in the region following Trump’s repeated threats to attack Iran and as diplomatic talks continue over Tehran’s nuclear program. The latest round of US-Iran negotiations took place on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland. The two sides had agreed to reconvene as soon as next week, with technical talks potentially happening on Monday in Vienna. The Trump administration did not provide further specifics about any talks that might occur on Friday.While Iran and Omani mediators sounded upbeat about making progress in the negotiations, a person familiar with the US position said the Americans were leaving Geneva disappointed. Amid the continued possibility of US strikes in the energy-rich region, oil prices are rising with Brent crude up 2.6% to $72.61 a barrel as of 3:45 p.m. on Friday in London, its highest level since July.“We haven’t made a final decision,” Trump said Friday. “They cannot have nuclear weapons, and we’re not thrilled with the way they’re negotiating.”Given the likelihood of Israeli involvement in any conflict, the stand-off is weighing on the country’s financial markets, with the shekel having its worst two-day streak since June’s 12-day war with Iran. In its diplomatic update on Friday, Washington advised non-essential workers and family members to consider leaving while commercial flights are available in Israel. Many airlines have suspended connections with Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial capital.The US embassy said it may prohibit travel to certain areas such as Jerusalem’s Old City the West Bank for staff.Even with the US saying the door to further diplomacy remains open, Trump continues to gather forces in the Middle East. A second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has entered the region and is now in Israeli waters, according to local media. It could join in any attack of Iran or help defend Israel and US assets against Iranian counter-strikes.The tensions have also prompted two of the world’s five top container carriers to reroute a number of vessels away from the the Red Sea, an area in which the Iran-backed Houthi militants are active.A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S said that “unforeseen constraints” led the Danish company to divert some vessels and make them sail south of Africa instead of through the Suez Canal. That move was mirrored by Hamburg, Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd AG, Maersk’s partner in a vessel-sharing alliance, which cited “unforeseen constraints to the available security assistance in the Red Sea region.”—With assistance from Sachin Ravikumar, Brendan Murray, Grant Smith, Christian Wienberg, Carla Canivete and Golnar Motevalli.Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.