Washington DC, June 12 -- The US is withdrawing the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the US State Department and military said on Wednesday as tensions with neighboring Iran rose amid deteriorating nuclear talks, as per The Times of Israel.

"President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq," a State Department official told The Times of Israel.

The department also authorised the departure of non-essential personnel ...