Donald Trump’s State Department is warning all Americans “worldwide” to “exercise increased caution” as the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran enters a fourth week.
The warning, issued on Sunday, urges all Americans around the world, “and especially in the Middle East,” to follow guidance from U.S. embassies and consulates.
“U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” the warning states. “Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world.”
The alert followed a warning from Iranian military spokesperson Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe” from Tehran.
Several U.S. embassies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have been attacked in recent weeks, and police are investigating attacks directed at diplomatic missions in Canada and Norway.
The State Department has called on Americans to leave the Middle East amid escalations, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week ordered all U.S. embassies to immediately perform security reviews.
On Saturday, Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to “fully reopen” the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies, or the U.S. would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants, “starting with the biggest one first.”
The president backed off his threat Monday morning, citing what he described as “productive conversations” with Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was “please [sic] to report” that the U.S. and Iran had “very good and productive conversations” about a “complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East” over the last two days.
“Based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, witch [sic] will continue throughout the week, I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period,” he said.
The pause was “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions,” according to Trump.
Iranian state media took the president’s message as a sign that the U.S. has “backed down” after Iran’s response to Trump’s threats.
Tehran has not confirmed any talks with the U.S. and previously vowed not to negotiate.
“Trump, fearing Iran’s response, backed down from his 48-hour ultimatum,” according to a graphic on IRIB state television.
“After the Islamic Republic warned that if America attacks Iran’s energy infrastructure it will target energy infrastructure across the entire region, Trump retreats and said he had ordered a delay of the attack,” according to Fars news agency.
Mehr news agency reported that Iran’s warnings “led Trump to back down.”
Trump’s message also arrived as airports across the country continue to face hourslong wait times amid a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which runs the Transportation Security Administration.
The president deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to more than a dozen major airports, including New York’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, to supplement unpaid TSA agents as members of Congress continue to negotiate a funding plan for Homeland Security amid scrutiny over the president’s aggressive anti-immigration agenda.
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