Some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar have been advised to evacuate by Wednesday (January 14, 2026) evening, a U.S. official said. The decision came as a senior official in Iran brought up an earlier Iranian attack there.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, described the move at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precautionary measure. The official wouldn’t go into any further details about the move, including whether the evacuation was optional or mandatory, if it affected troops or civilian personnel, or the number of those advised to leave, citing the need for operational security.

In response, Qatar said Wednesday that such measures were being “undertaken in response to the current regional tensions.”

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“The IMO reaffirms that the State of Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,” Qatar’s media office said in a post on X.

The Pentagon declined to comment on questions about the move. The State Department had no immediate comment on the potential for any security alerts to be issued for American diplomats or other civilians in Qatar. In June, the Embassy had issued a brief shelter-in-place advisory to U.S. citizens in Doha but stopped short of evacuating diplomats or advising Americans to leave the country.

The precautionary measure comes as anti-government protests in nearby Iran continue and President Donald Trump has said that he is willing to conduct military operations in the country if the government continues to retaliate against the protesters.

The base, which hosts thousands of U.S. service members, was targeted by Iran in June in retaliation for U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the social platform X wrote “the #US President, who repeatedly talks about the futile aggression against #Iran’s nuclear facilities, would do well to also mention the destruction of the US base in #Al-Udeid by Iranian missiles.”

“It would certainly help create a real understanding of Iran’s will and ability to respond to any aggression,” he added.

Iranian and Qatari officials had spoken on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) amid the deadly crackdown in Iran and America’s escalating threats to intervene if protesters are not spared.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had a phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister.

In a statement on X, Al Thani said that he “reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s backing of all de-escalation efforts, as well as peaceful solutions to enhance security and stability in the region.”

Iran’s decision in June to retaliate against U.S. strikes by targeting the sprawling desert facility outside Doha created a rare tension between the two maritime neighbors, with Qatari officials saying it caught them by surprise.

No American or Qatari personnel were harmed, the U.S. military’s Central Command said at the time, noting that the two forces worked together to defend the base. A Qatari military officer said one of 19 missiles fired by Iran was not intercepted and hit the base, but the Republican U.S. president said in a social media post at the time that “hardly any damage was done.”

The Gulf State has been caught in the crossfire of other regional tensions, including an Israeli strike in September on the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Doha while the group’s top figures had been gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) doubled down on his threat of intervention in protest-hit Iran, telling protesters that “help is on its way”, a day after he claimed that Iranian officials had reached out to Washington for talks amid ongoing protests and a security crackdown in the Islamic Republic.

“Iranian patriots, keep protesting — take over your institutions. Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters stops. Help is on the way,” he added, without explaining what kind of “help” he is offering.

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On Monday (January 12, 2026), Mr. Trump said in another social media post that he would impose 25% tariff on Iran’s trading partners. “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive,” Mr. Trump said.

Iran’s main trading partners are China, Turkey, the UAE and Iraq. Turkey and the UAE are close American allies.

Mr. Trump, who joined Israel in bombing Iran in June 2025 during the 12-day war, had earlier threatened to attack Iran again if protesters were killed. “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Mr. Trump said on January 2.

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had responded to Mr. Trump, saying “U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests”.

What began as a protest by traders over falling currency and hyperinflation has spread into a nationwide protest in Iran. The authorities have imposed an internet shutdown, and cracked down on what they call “rioters and terrorists” on Saturday. State media have reported that dozens of security personnel were killed by “rioters”, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of a stern response. According to Norway-based Iran Human Rights, at least 648 people were killed during the protests. The White House said on Monday that Mr. Trump is pursuing diplomacy as a first resort but remains “unafraid” of deploying military force.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with Al Jazeera, said the government was in talks with the protesters and the internet was shut down only after “we confronted terrorist operations and realised orders were coming from outside the country”. In response to Mr. Trump’s threats, he said: “We are prepared for any eventuality and we hope Washington will choose a wise option. It doesn’t matter which option they choose, we are ready for it.”

Meanwhile, the European Parliament has banned Iranian diplomats and other representatives as EU leaders condemned Iran’s security crackdown.

“Those who defy the dangers in the streets and the political prisoners who continue to be held need more than just solidarity,” EU Parliament speaker Roberta Metsola wrote to the members of parliament. “The ban applies to the Parliament’s premises in Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.” The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has signaled expanded sanctions against Iran.

While responding to the EU Parliament’s decision, Mr. Araghchi said: “More than two years of Genocide in Gaza that has claimed the lives of 70,000 Palestinians has not led the European Parliament to take any real action against Israel. Even as Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes by the ICC, he freely flies over European airspace. In contrast, it takes only a few days of violent riots in Iran for the European Parliament to physically ban our diplomats.”

“People are not stupid. They see what is unfolding with their own eyes. Iran does not seek enmity with the EU, but will reciprocate any restriction,” he added in a social media post.

The United States is ‍to blame for “the transformation ​of peaceful protests ‌into violent, ​subversive acts and widespread vandalism” in Iran, the country’s United Nations ambassador told the Security Council ​on Friday (January 9, 2026).

Iran condemns “the ⁠ongoing, unlawful, and irresponsible conduct of the United ​States of ⁠America, in coordination with the Israeli regime, in interfering in ‌Iran’s internal affairs through ‌threats, incitement, and the deliberate ‍encouragement of instability and violence,” Iran’s ‍U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote in a letter, seen by Reuters.

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He accused Washington of “destabilizing practices” that undermine the ⁠founding U.N. Charter, violate fundamental principles ​of international law, ⁠and threaten the foundations of international peace and security.