US considers closing embassy in Syria The United States has warned that it may soon close its embassy in Syria due to the worsening security situation, a move that could increase tensions between Washington and Damascus over its bloody crackdown on protests. "While no decision has been made, we have serious concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Damascus," the State Department said in a written statement. We have also advised the Syrian government that unless concrete steps are taken in the coming days, we may have no choice but to close the mission. The US threat came as the White House said it believed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad no longer had full control over the country, an escalation of US rhetoric against Damascus after ten months of unrest. One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Syrian government did not have much time to address US security concerns.