| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Iraq 'regrets' closure of US consulate, Iran rejects 'propaganda' |
| 2018-09-30 |
| [Al Jazeera] Iraq has said it "regrets" the decision of the United States to shut its consulate in the southern city of Basra which has been rocked by weeks of deadly protests, while Iran has accused Washington of making "false accusations" to pressure Baghdad. "The ministry regrets the American decision to pull its staff out of Basra," Iraq's foreign minsitry said in a statement on Saturday. The US on Friday announced the closure of its consulate in Basra and said it is relocating diplomatic personnel assigned there alleging increasing threats from Iran and Iran-backed gangs. Blaming Iran for "indirect fire", Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said consular duties will be taken over by the embassy in Baghdad, while his office issued an advisory urging Americans not to travel to Iraq. The decision further escalated the tension between the US and Iran, which is the target of increasing economic sanctions by the Trump administration. IRAN PRESIDENT: 'US MUST STOP BULLYING THE WORLD' Iran rejected what it called the US "propaganda and false accusations", insisting it condemned any attacks on diplomatic sites. "Iran sees the absurd US justification which follow weeks of propaganda and false accusations against Iran and Iraqi forces as playing a blame-game," said the country's foreign ministry front man Bahram Ghasemi. He said Tehran condemns any aggression against diplomats and diplomatic sites, and charged that the US move was a pretext for promoting "insecurity in Iraq" and to "pressure the country's government". |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 and I'm sure you would decry any efforts to get them back, Herb. "Why are we intervening??" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2018-09-30 07:04 |
| #1 They could just take our diplomats hostage. Why not, it worked well for them before. |
| Posted by: Herb McCoy 2018-09-30 02:19 |