A senior US official told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid that the United States will not reduce its military presence in the Middle East until a nuclear agreement with Iran is reached. If implementation of the deal progresses, a reduction could follow, the official said.
A senior US official stated on Monday evening that the United States will not scale back its military deployment in the Middle East until a nuclear agreement with Iran is finalized. The official said, according to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid (N12), that progress in implementing the deal could allow a reduction to begin.
The statement comes amid an ongoing diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran, which has persisted even as the US conducts airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure. As The Zioneer has reported, the US-Iran diplomatic channel remains active despite kinetic escalation. In recent days, senior American officials have described the current operation as ongoing and signaled readiness for additional strikes, while also indicating President Trump has not abandoned diplomacy — though patience is wearing thin.
This latest comment links the timing of any potential US force reduction directly to the nuclear track, rather than to the broader military campaign or the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli forces remain deployed. The official's framing suggests Washington views a nuclear deal as the primary lever for de-escalation in the theater.
The report is based on a single source and has not been independently corroborated. Israel has not publicly commented on the statement.
2 developments
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- DevelopingReport: Iran nuclear talks may extend 60 days, including enrichment and inspections
- StrongIran deputy FM: 60-day talks with US only after frozen assets released
- DevelopingTrump gives Iran 60-day deadline to reach nuclear deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake