US prepares to send diplomats back to Middle East embassies after Iran war evacuations, NYT reports

Aug 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department is preparing to return diplomats to embassies in the Middle East that were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing an internal State Department document.

The return of Foreign Service officers and the scaling back of emergency measures at U.S. missions in the region could begin as early as this week, the report said.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report. The U.S. Department of State could not immediately be reached for comment outside regular business hours.

Embassies slated to restore higher staffing levels include those in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait, according to the report.

In a statement quoted by the New York Times, the State Department said it "continuously reviews the security posture at our diplomatic missions around the world."

"Based on our latest assessment, we are adjusting our staffing posture at certain posts in the Middle East to ensure we can continue advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives while protecting the safety and security of our personnel," it added.

According to the document, the first diplomats to return would be assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, although staffing there would remain below full levels. Ultimately, staff would return completely to the U.S. embassies in Israel, Jordan and Oman, the report said.

Posts in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Lebanon would initially be capped at 85% staffing, while missions in Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain would be limited to 75%, according to the document.

The staff reductions began in February, when Washington authorized voluntary departures of non-emergency personnel and family members from Israel amid tensions with Iran.

(Reporting by Bipasha Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Alex Richardson and Conor Humphries)