American diplomats and at least some of their family members are beginning to return to US embassies in the Middle East after many were ordered off post in the early days of the war with Iran, the Associated Press reports.
Most embassies are not yet back to full strength, but starting this week the State Department has begun lifting certain staffing and other restrictions. The move does not signal a policy shift toward Iran – the administration’s posture remains focused on economic pressure rather than kinetic war – but rather follows from HR regulations that time-limit how long diplomats may stay away from post while still drawing pay and benefits.
On Friday, the day the Iran war hit its six-month mark, embassies in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain announced they would allow diplomats’ family members to return – in Bahrain and Kuwait, only those over 18. Earlier in the week, all family members of US government employees in Israel, and those over 21 in Lebanon, were given the go-ahead to return.
From ordered departure to restricted operations
All of these posts were placed on “ordered departure” or “authorized departure” status in March, when Iran began retaliating for US and Israeli strikes by targeting US interests, including embassies and military facilities. Those statuses were set to expire six months after being initiated – which would have meant diplomats losing housing and benefits. To deal with that, the State Department created a new “restricted operations” status, under which each embassy makes its own determination on staffing, family presence, pay and benefits case by case.
“We remain committed to supporting our workforce and their families throughout this process,” the department said.
Source: The Times of Israel (via AP), 29 August 2026.