The US Secretary of State traveled to Iraq wearing a protective vest. There he addressed clear words to pro-Iranian militias.
Baghdad – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise trip to Iraq after visiting several Middle Eastern countries. There he met with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, as the Iraqi state news agency INA reported.
In Baghdad, Blinken was seen at the airport in the evening wearing a protective vest. The visit amid the Gaza war also comes against the backdrop of increasing attacks by pro-Iranian militias on US troops in Iraq.
Warning to militias
“Whoever wants to take advantage of the conflict in Gaza to threaten our employees here or elsewhere in the region – let it go,” Blinken said on the TV channel “Sky News” in a warning to the pro-Iranian militias. Their attacks and threats are “absolutely unacceptable”.
The US does not seek conflict with Iran, but will “take every step necessary to protect our people.” Blinken described the meeting with Al-Sudani as “productive, open and important.”
The already unstable security situation in Iraq has worsened since the start of the Gaza war between the Islamist Hamas and Israel. Abu Ali al-Askari, spokesman for the powerful militia Kataib Hezbollah, had previously verbally attacked Blinken and threatened him with “unprecedented escalation” if he visited.
Pro-Iranian militias have claimed responsibility for several dozen attacks in Iraq and Syria since the war began. In particular, the militias and political forces in Iraq allied with Tehran are demanding the complete withdrawal of the approximately 2,500 remaining US troops. dpa
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