Rubio to visit Israel as tensions with Iran escalate: US State Dept

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make a quick trip to Israel early next week as tensions between the United States and Iran soar amid a massive buildup of US forces in the Middle East, the State Department said Friday.

 

The department said in a statement that Rubio would visit Israel on Monday and Tuesday to "discuss a range of regional priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement President Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza." It offered no other details.

 

The announcement comes just hours after the US Embassy in Jerusalem implemented "authorised departure" status for non-essential personnel and family members, which means that eligible staffers can leave the country voluntarily at government expense.

 

The US Embassy in Israel on Friday told its staff that it could leave the country and urged anyone considering departure to do so immediately.

In an email US Ambassador Mike Huckabee urged staff considering departure to do so quickly, advising them to focus initially on getting any flight out of Israel and to then make their way to Washington.

 

"Those wishing to take AD should do so TODAY," Huckabee wrote, using an acronym for "authorised departure." "While there may be outbound flights over the coming days, there may not be," he added. Huckabee said that there was no need for panic, but for those desiring to leave, it was important to make plans soon.

 

The email was recounted to The Associated Press by someone involved with the US mission who wasn't authorized to share details.

 

The email came a day after Iran and the United States walked away from nuclear negotiations without a deal, in their third round of nuclear talks in Geneva. Technical discussions are scheduled to take place in Vienna next week.

 

US Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to meet later Friday in Washington with Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, who has been mediating during the talks, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting is private.

 

Earlier, al-Busaidi said that there had been significant progress made on Thursday, though officials from Iran and the United States haven't announced steps forward.

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday offered no specifics, but said "what needs to happen has been clearly spelled out from our side."

 

According to a confidential report by the International Atomic Agency circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press, Iran hasn't granted the UN nuclear watchdog access to its nuclear facilities affected by the 12-day war in June, and as a result can't confirm whether or not Iran has stopped its enrichment or the size of its stockpile.

 

Airlines such as Netherlands-based KLM have already announced plans to suspend flights out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, and other embassies have also made plans for authorized departures from Israel and neighboring countries.

Meanwhile, Britain's Foreign Office said that "due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran." It said that the embassy was operating remotely.

 

Australia on Wednesday "directed the departure of all dependents of Australian officials posted to Israel in response to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East." China, India and several European countries with missions in Iran advised citizens to avoid travel to the country as well.

 

China's Foreign Ministry also advised its citizens already in Iran to leave, according to a statement reported by Chinese state media.

 

On a town hall meeting Friday after the email was sent, Huckabee told staff that he was encouraging airlines to keep flying.

 

The departure authorisations signal a new level of contingency planning as a massive fleet of US aircraft and warships mass in the Middle East.