US reduces diplomatic staff in Iraq amid security threats
The United States has reduced staffing at its Baghdad embassy, Iraqi officials have said, amid fears Iran-backed militias could strike American targets in Iraq during Donald Trump's final months as US president.
An Iraqi official told AFP news agency that the drawdown appeared to be based on security concerns. “They could come back, it's just a security blip," the source said, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to comment publicly. "This is not a rupture of diplomatic ties."
A US State Department spokesman said ambassador Matthew Tueller remains in Iraq and that the embassy "continues to operate".
Fears of regional conflict have increased since the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh outside Tehran last Friday. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack with President Hassan Rouhani accusing it of acting as a "mercenary" for “global arrogance”, referring to the United States.
Domestic pressure is mounting on Tehran to retaliate, with hardliners seeking to capitalise on anger at the killing to strengthen their position ahead of next June’s presidential elections, with American interests in neighbouring Iraq viewed as potential targets.
Iran-backed militias calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops have carried out a series of attacks since October 2019, killing a British army medic, three Americans, and six Iraqis in the process.
In May 2019, rocket attacks on Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone, home to the American embassy, prompted the US to order the withdrawal of “non-emergency” staff.
Last December, militia supporters besieged the embassy for two days, penetrating security walls and set fires and smashing windows in reception areas.
Tensions ratcheted up further in early January when a US drone strike killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad airport.
By September, the US had threatened to close the embassy unless Iraqi authorities reined in militia attacks. That prompted militias to announce a unilateral truce that lasted until November 17, when rockets fired at the Green Zone killed a child.
The outgoing administration of President Trump, eager to end open-ended foreign deployments, has ordered a further drawdown of troops in Iraq from about 3,000 to about 2,500 by January 15.
President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to resume diplomacy with Iran, confirming in a New York Times interview published Wednesday that he remains committed to rejoining the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by President Trump.
“It’s going to be hard, but yeah,” Mr Biden said. That task will likely be made harder by Iranian hardliners, who are hoping to improve Iran’s negotiating position by further exceeding the limits on its nuclear programme imposed by the deal.
Following Fakhrizadeh’s killing, Iran’s conservative dominated parliament has passed a law calling for Iran to increase uranium enrichment to 20 percent and to halt international inspections of nuclear sites.
President Rouhani, who is viewed as a moderate, said he opposes the law, which would need to be approved by the country’s Supreme National Security Council and Expediency Council before being implemented.
“There is no requirement that the letter of the legislation be followed at this point,” said Sanam Vakil, the deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House in London. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that Iran is going to enrich uranium and stop inspections.”
Conservatives hoping to win next year’s election are hoping to pressure the incoming Biden administration to make a quick return to the nuclear deal and offer speedy sanctions relief, she said.
“They’re taking the lemon of the assassination and trying to make lemonade – or leverage,” she concluded.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran would return to its obligations if the United States returned to the agreement.
