The US State Department on Wednesday began preparing to evacuate non-essential staff from the American embassy in Baghdad as regional tension flares over faltering efforts between Washington and Tehran to reach a nuclear deal.
At the same time, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the departure of military dependants from locations across the region. Personnel from US embassies in Kuwait and Bahrain were reportedly on standby to be moved.
"They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place," President Donald Trump told reporters. "We've given notice to move out and we'll see what happens. [Iran] can't have a nuclear weapon. Very simply, they can't have a nuclear weapon, we’re not going to allow that.”
His comments came as the US and Iran hit an apparent impasse over talks to constrain Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme. Mr Trump has repeatedly asked ally Israel not to conduct a strike against Iran as talks continue.
Mr Trump said earlier that he was unsure Iran would agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal, and Iran's Minister of Defence Aziz Nasirzadeh said Tehran will strike US bases in the region if nuclear talks fail and conflict arises with Washington.
Mr Trump told a New York Post podcast that he was “much less confident of a deal being made".
“They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame,” the US President said in the interview recorded on Monday and released on Wednesday.
Mr Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could strike Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, on Monday said that a sixth round of talks with Iran would begin this week. But Wednesday's tensions made new negotiations appear less likely.
Iran’s mission to the UN posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts".
“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon and US militarism only fuels instability,” the mission wrote.
On Tuesday, Central Command chief Gen Michael Kurilla said he had provided Mr Trump with options that could be used against Iran if Tehran and Washington fail to reach a new nuclear deal.
The State Department said it conducts a constant assessment of “the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies”.
“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad,” a department representative said in a statement to The National. “Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce our mission in Iraq.”
A US defence official told The National that Centcom is "monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East".
"Centcom is working in close co-ordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness," the official said. Centcom did not announce any troop movements.
A senior Iraqi diplomat told The National that the State Department informed the country that the withdrawal of non-essential personnel was due to heightened security risks.
Bahrain, home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, hosts about 9,000 US troops. The US also has a military presence in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and the UAE.
An Iraqi government official told the state news agency that the embassy evacuation relates to "procedures concerning the American diplomatic presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries, and are not specific to Iraq alone".
"The Iraqi side has not recorded any security indicators that would necessitate evacuation," the official added.
Earlier, Mr Nasirzadeh said Tehran was prepared to attack American bases in the region.
“If conflict is imposed on us the opponent’s casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,” he said. “We have access to them and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”
The Baghdad embassy has already been operating on limited staff, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel.
Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations on Wednesday said in an advisory note that it was aware of increased tension in the Middle East that could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.
The UKMTO advised ships to use caution when passing through the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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