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THE United States has begun withdrawing select personnel from key bases in the Middle East as tensions soar over Iran’s intensifying domestic unrest, according to a U.S. official speaking on Wednesday.
Reuters reported on Thursday that the precautionary measures follow warnings from Tehran that American facilities in the region would be targeted if Washington strikes, amid ongoing anti-government protests described as the most severe in the Islamic Republic’s history.
A Western military official told Reuters that “all the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy.”
Despite these warnings, President Donald Trump suggested a measured stance, stating that he believes killings during the regime’s crackdown are subsiding.
“We are going to watch what the process is,” Trump said, adding that his administration had received a “very good statement” from Iran. He indicated the possibility of military action remained, but no immediate strike had been planned.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reinforced this stance, telling Fox News that “there is no plan for hanging at all.
Hanging is out of the question,” addressing concerns over executions of protesters. Nevertheless, human rights organisations report that hundreds of demonstrators have been killed, with figures ranging from 2,000 to over 2,600.
The unrest, triggered by economic hardships, has been met with what French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described as “the most violent repression in Iran’s contemporary history.”
U.S. bases in the region, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, have been subject to drawdowns. Officials in Qatar confirmed that personnel reductions were “being undertaken in response to the current regional tensions.”
Additional withdrawals have reportedly occurred at British facilities in Qatar, although the Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously, said Tehran had alerted neighbouring states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey, that U.S. bases would be targeted if American military action is taken.
Direct contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended.
Despite the unrest, a Western official assessed that Iran’s security apparatus remains in control and that the government does not appear to be on the verge of collapse.
Iranian authorities have sought to demonstrate continued public support, broadcasting state television footage of large funeral processions in Tehran, Isfahan, Bushehr and other cities, with crowds waving flags, images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and anti-riot slogans.
The United States has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters, with President Trump promising “very strong action” if executions of demonstrators occur.
However, the timing and scope of any potential intervention remain unclear, with European and Israeli officials expressing uncertainty over the next steps.
Amid the crisis, the flow of information from inside Iran has been limited due to an internet blackout, complicating efforts to verify casualties and gauge the situation on the ground.
The unrest comes at a moment of heightened regional tension, with the Iranian government still recovering from the economic and military setbacks imposed by renewed U.N. sanctions and previous Israeli and U.S. military operations. - January 15, 2026