Non-essential American embassy staff and their dependents in Baghdad are evacuating from Iraq due to heightened security risks, US government sources said on Wednesday. Officials did not say exactly what prompted the removal, however in recent days talks over Iran's nuclear programme appear to have stalled.

The move comes after the Iranian defense minister warned that Tehran would target U.S. bases in the area if tensions escalated.

US embassies across the Middle East are preparing to send home non-essential staff and families amid rising tension in the region. President Donald Trump said US personnel were being moved out of the Middle East because "it could be a dangerous place.