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The US State Department is directing its non-essential workers in Iraq to leave

Political | 10:50 - 15/05/2019

 
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BAGHDAD - Mawazine News 
The US State Department on Wednesday issued a directive to its non-essential government employees in Iraq to leave. 
The US embassy in Baghdad said in a statement, "Mawazine News," the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered non-essential government employees in Iraq to leave." 
She added that "normal visa services at the embassy and the US consulate in Erbil will be temporarily suspended," indicating that "the US government has limited capacity to provide emergency services for US citizens in Iraq." 
The statement recommended those included in the decision "to depart by commercial transport as soon as possible"

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Five procedures from the US Embassy for its employees and citizens in Iraq

Political | 12:02 - 15/05/2019

 
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BAGHDAD - 
The US Embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday issued five procedures for its employees and citizens in Iraq during the current period. 
Actions included: 
- Departure of Iraq through commercial transport as soon as possible. 
- Avoid US installations inside Iraq. 
- Monitor local media for updates. 
- Review personal security plans. 
- Keep the ocean informed. 
The embassy said earlier in the day that "the State Department ordered non-essential government employees in Iraq to leave." 
She added that "normal visa services at the embassy and the US consulate in Erbil will be temporarily suspended," indicating that "the US government has limited capacity to provide emergency services for US citizens in Iraq."
The statement recommended those included in the decision "to depart by commercial transport as soon as possible"

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An employee at the Washington Embassy in Baghdad: We hear the events from the media and did not get any reports about anything

Political | 12:40 - 15/05/2019

 
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BAGHDAD - 
A foreign official working for the US embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday spoke of the atmosphere inside the country after information published by the US State Department asked non-essential staff to leave Iraq. 
"There is a misunderstanding happening at the embassy, we hear from the media what is going on, and no instructions or reports have been received about anything, but there is a state of instability," the officer told RT. 
He added that "the movement inside the embassy is not like every day, and no guests came to us and we did not receive anyone today, security measures intensified, but they can not tell us anything." 
The US State Department asked its non-essential staff at its embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq.
The US military announced on Tuesday that "the status of US forces in Iraq on alert because of possible threats by the Iranian-backed forces in the region," declaring that he "is monitoring the threats, which may be imminent for US forces in Iraq."

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2019/05/15 12:31
  • Number of readings 54
  • Section: Iraq
  •  

The first Iraqi response to Washington's decision to withdraw non-essential staff from the country

BAGHDAD / The obelisk: The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Wednesday, May 15, 2019, on the purpose of calling the US State Department staff "non-essential" in Iraq, to leave.

"These calls come within the framework of psychological warfare," said committee member Ali al-Ghanmi in an interview with local media. "America wants to escalate the situation with Iran through media statements."

"The United States wants to point out from these calls that Iraq will intervene if there is a war between Iran and America, and this is not true and will not happen," he said.

The US Embassy in Baghdad, Wednesday, May 15, 2019, issued a clarification on the nature of Washington's decision to withdraw non-core staff from Iraq.

The embassy said in a statement that "the US State Department issued an order to withdraw non-essential US government employees from Iraq, both employees of the US Embassy in Baghdad or the US consulate in Erbil."

"The normal services will be suspended temporarily in Baghdad and Erbil," she said, adding that "the US government has limited capacity to provide emergency services for US citizens in Iraq."

"Additional information can be found on the US Embassy's website at the US Citizen Services Department."

On Wednesday, May 15, 2019, the US State Department called on its "non-essential" staff to leave Iraq, hours after the international coalition announced that the alert level in Iraq had been raised to a maximum.

International media quoted the US State Department as calling on US non-essential personnel in Iraq to leave.

Follow the obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/171003/أول-رد-عراقي-على-قرار-واشنطن-بسحب-موظفيها-غير-الضروريين-من-البلاد

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Editorial date:: 2019/5/15 12:53  418 times read
US embassy issues clarification on latest actions on Iraq
The US State Department ordered US non-emergency government employees to leave Iraq immediately, whether at the US Embassy in Baghdad or at the US consulate in Erbil.
"In view of the growing series of threats we are witnessing in Iraq, which the Iraqi government informed us during the visit of the US Secretary of State on May 7 and through subsequent contacts, the US Secretary of State decided to include the mission in Iraq to leave non-essential staff from the US Embassy in Baghdad and the consulate American in Erbil. " 
"We regularly review and evaluate the safety, security and operations of our facilities around the world," he said, noting that "we decided that the binding departure order would be appropriate in light of current security conditions." 
"To take these decisions lightly, the safety of US government employees and US citizens is a top priority for the State Department," the US embassy spokesman said.
"We are confident of the determination of the Iraqi security services to protect us, but this threat remains serious and we want to reduce the risk of harm," he said. "We remain committed to partnership with the Iraqis to further our common interests."
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Washington is reprimanding the deputy commander of the International Coalition after denying US assessments on Iraq

13:45 - 15/05/2019
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Information / Baghdad ..

The deputy commander-in-chief of coalition forces in Iraq, General Christopher Gekka, on Wednesday refuted US assessments of the increasing Iranian threats, provoking a strong rebuke from Washington against him.

The coalition forces are aware of the fact that the factions within the popular crowd are clearly visible and we are watching them, " General Christopher Gekka, deputy commander in chief of coalition forces in Iraq, told US correspondents at the Pentagon via a live video call from Baghdad. Along with a whole host of others because this is the environment in which we live. "

"However, there was no increased threat from those forces in Iraq, " Gika said.

According to the report, Gika's remarks directly contradict Washington's claims of a growing Iranian threat in the region, while the US Central Command, which is responsible for Middle East theater, has rejected General Geka's comments in a statement.

"The recent comments from the deputy commander of the coalition forces, General Gekka, contradict the documented threats of the US intelligence and coalition intelligence," the statement said.

The Guardian newspaper described the US Central Command's statement as "a special case and an exceptional rebuke to a senior officer in the coalition," while the British Ministry of Defense did not respond to the US Central Command's statement to date. Ending / 25 z

https://www.almaalomah.com/2019/05/15/406456/

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2019/05/15 14:47
  • Number of readings 19
  • Section: Iraq
  •  

Foreign Ministry: The security situation in Iraq is very stable and coordinated with all parties

BAGHDAD / MESSALA: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, that the security situation in Iraq is very stable, indicating that it coordinates with all parties and abide by the discourse of dialogue.

"The security situation in Iraq is very stable, Iraq is a country that respects its partners and friends and shares common interests with them," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that "the Iraqi Foreign Ministry coordinates with all parties, and abide by the discourse of dialogue and the possibility of building on the chances of balance in light of the need of the region for it."

The obelisk

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/171024/الخارجية-الوضع-الأمني-في-العراق-مستقر-للغاية-وننسق-مع-جميع-الاطراف

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Washington orders some US government employees to leave Iraq

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US released a statement ordering some of its employees to leave Iraq. (AFP/File)

Updated 7 sec ago

REUTERS

May 15, 201910:46

0

US officials said they have a limited ability to provide emergency services to their citizens in Iraq

IRBIL: The US State Department on Wednesday ordered the departure of “non-emergency government employees” from Iraq, the US embassy in Baghdad said in a statement.
Referring to the embassy and the US consulate in Irbil, it said “normal visa services at both posts will be temporarily suspended. The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Iraq.”
The statement recommended those affected “depart by commercial transportation as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Germany is suspending military training operations in Iraq due to increasing regional tensions, a spokesman for the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
Germany has indications of potential attacks supported by Iran, he said, adding that this did not mean the training programmes could not resume in the coming days.
Focus Online said the decision had been taken in coordination with partner countries fighting Daesh in the region.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1497241/middle-east

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US embassy employee: The embassy is in a state of instability and we are aware of our departure from the media

12:42 - 15/05/2019
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BAGHDAD - 
A foreign official working for the US embassy in Baghdad revealed Wednesday that the embassy is in a state of instability, noting that they learned about the issue of our departure from the media. 
"A state of misunderstanding and stability is taking place inside the US Embassy in Baghdad," the Russian news channel RT reported. "We have heard from the media what is happening and no instructions or reports have been received about anything, Referring to the announcement by the US State Department to withdraw its non-essential staff from Iraq . 
"The movement inside the embassy is not like every day," the official said. "Security measures have been stepped up, but they can not tell us anything." 
The US State Department asked its non-essential staff at its embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil to leave Iraq .
The US military announced on Tuesday that "the situation of US forces in Iraq on alert because of possible threats by the Iranian- backed forces in the region," declaring that "watching the threats are certain, which may be imminent for US forces in Iraq ." Ending / 25 d

https://www.almaalomah.com/2019/05/15/406417/

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Iraqi-US- Iranian night on alert due to false information from Iraq

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Who targeted the tankers in the Gulf? (Reuters) – Gulf observers in Iran said , Iran may have launched its first regional war signals by targeting ships anchored near the port of Fujairah and has sought to respond to growing US pressure to abandon its nuclear and missile projects and stop threatening regional security . But not everything that is said by observers is true.

In general, and against this targeting, which could extend to other areas in the region, including Iraq, the US Embassy in Baghdad issued a statement on Sunday calling on its citizens not to travel to Iraq. The embassy in the statement advised all its citizens to be vigilant in the light of escalated tensions in Iraq. The statement added,”The measures to be taken are” do not travel to Iraq “,” avoid presence in gathering places “,” not to draw attention “and” pay attention to their surroundings,”

And what has increased the US alert in Iraq, that the Americans have received information from some Iraqis that – tonight – at dawn today the US interests in Iraq will be attacked by allies of Iran, and based on this information , the US administration contacted with the Iraqi political leadership to stand on the credibility of that information. According to special information obtained by the Rawabet Center for Researches and Strategic Studies, the information that reached the US Embassy in Iraq and in turn brought to Washington was wrong information and baseless . Although some of the acts are taken place but in essence they are simple and not by the allies of Iran, but from other parties seeking to blow up the security and military situation between Washington and Tehran.
In view of this false information, the Federal Government and the Government of Kurdistan Region of Iraq have placed strict protection on the American diplomatic mission in Iraq, both on the US Embassy in Baghdad and the US consulate in the Kurdistan region and Basra, and the protection of all US interests in Iraq, since the protection of such interests is the responsibility of Iraqi government based on the Vienna Conventions governing the operation of missions and diplomatic bodies.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi assured Washington that the Iraqi situation is stable and he does not accept any harm to US interests in Iraq. He seeks through diplomatic channels to cool the conflict between Washington and Tehran so that things do not go into the unknown and that the two countries do not fall into the trap because of the plots against them to ignite a regional war in the region. At the same time, Adel Abdul Mahdi refuses to harm the security and sovereignty of Iraq and that Iraq is not a place for opponents to settle their accounts on his country’s soil.
On the Iranian side, and in order not to slip to the brink of the abyss between Washington and Tehran in Iraq and the region, its allies in Iraq have committed themselves to the utmost restraint, and the legitimate question that arises in this context: who is that body responsible for passing this false information to disturb the dawn of Iraq and Iran and evening of Washington, and put them on high alert to any action and reaction, but the fact is the short time the dawn will come and the morning starts and then Iraq to begin a new day away from any US-Iranian escalation on its soil. One day, the Iraqi poet Mudhaffar al-Nawab said, “sadness is very beautiful, and The night is devoid of taste without worries”, but it seems with the political intersections and contradictions in the region, “the night is devoid of taste without intrigues.”

Iraqi Studies Unit
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies

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The Iraqi government is officially responding to the US State Department statement

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the security situation in the country was stable in response to the US State Department's demand for staff to leave Iraq.

"The ministry is coordinating with all sides, and the speech of dialogue and the possibility of building on the chances of balance in light of the need of the region for this," ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sahaf said in a statement.

"The security situation is very stable and Iraq is a country that respects its partners and friends, shares common interests with them, assures sovereignty and protects its interests at the same time," he said.

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US embassy issues clarification on latest actions on Iraq
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http://www.nahrainnews.net/content.php?id=23354

 

US embassy issues clarification on latest actions on Iraq

The US State Department ordered the non-emergency US government employees to leave Iraq immediately, whether at the US Embassy in Baghdad or at the US consulate in Erbil. The spokesman said in a statement: "Given the chain The increasing threats we are witnessing in Iraq, which the Iraqi government informed us during the visit of the US Secretary of State on May 7 and through subsequent contacts, the US Secretary of State decided to include the mission in Iraq to leave the non-essential staff of the US Embassy in Baghdad and The US consulate in Erbil. "" We regularly review and evaluate the safety, security and operations of our facilities around the world, "he said, noting that" we decided that the order to leave binding is appropriate in the light of current security conditions. "The US embassy spokesman stressed" to take these decisions lightly, "We are confident in the determination of the Iraqi security services to protect us, but this threat remains serious and we want to reduce the risk of harm," he said. "We remain committed to partnership with the Iraqis to strengthen the links Hanna common ".

 
Views 11 Date Added 15/05/2019 Content number 23354
Edited by 6ly410
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Iran suspends the departure of US personnel from Iraq

12:28 - 16/05/2019
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Information / Baghdad ..

Iran does not pose any threat to anyone, neither in Iraq nor elsewhere, and does not plan to attack anywhere, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations said Thursday .

"America's recent allegations, including orders issued to non-essential staff in Iraq to leave, are the latest scene of the US media war against Iran based on false intelligence reports to be used as a pretext for a possible confrontation, " Fars quoted the agency as saying .

"Iran does not pose a threat to anyone in Iraq or other regions and does not intend to attack anywhere," he said, adding that "Iran and its history testify only to defend themselves and have no offensive strategy against any country. New ".

The Wall Street Journal claimed that the orders issued to non-essential staff at the US embassy to leave Iraq came after what it called "escalating threats from Iran and its allied Iraqi resistance forces." Ending / 25

https://www.almaalomah.com/2019/05/16/406639/

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US: Suspension of visa issuance in Baghdad and Arbil temporarily

 
Baghdad - conscious 
The US State Department has announced the suspension of visas for its embassy in Baghdad and its budget in Arbil.
The US State Department said in a statement that it had no reason to suspend visas 
Has ordered the withdrawal of non-essential US government officials from Iraq, whether working at the US Embassy in Baghdad or at the US consulate in Erbil.
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Oil denies evacuation of US Exxon Mobil employees

Oil denies evacuation of US Exxon Mobil employees

 

98 views

16/05/2019

Baghdad

The Ministry of Oil denied on Thursday the evacuation or departure of staff at ExxonMobil from Iraq.

"The officials of the American company Exxon Mobil have assured me not to evacuate their employees from the West Qurna field in Basra province, as reported by some media and media, and they work side by side with Along with their fellow Iraqis and foreigners in the coalition of companies developed for the West Qurna field according to the planned program.

For his part, spokesman for the Ministry of Oil Assem Jihad, according to the statement, "The ministry is keen to provide the security environment suitable for the work of international companies and maintain the safety of workers."

He pointed out that "the ministry and in coordination with the security authorities always seek to achieve this goal," stressing that "the workers in oil companies do not face any security problems or threats, and they continue to work to develop oil fields in Iraq."

KKK

http://aletejahtv.com/archives/292525

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Washington Post tells details of foreign warning and US embassy

2019-05-16 06:13
Washington Post tells details of foreign warning and US embassy
 
 
 
 
 
1,288 views
 
 

The Washington Post published a report detailing the State Department's decision to issue an order Wednesday to its "non-essential" staff to leave Iraq, where 5,000 US troops are stationed.

The newspaper said the US accusations of Iran's intention to launch imminent attacks on US forces in the region, noting that the allies of the United States expressed concern in public meetings and sounded the alarm in private meetings. 
 
 
 
 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "stormed" the EU foreign ministers' summit in Brussels on Monday, trying to convince them of the US position, the newspaper said, explaining that he had asked the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany to send a message to Tehran. 

"We asked them to use their influence with the Iranian regime to explain to them that they need to reduce the escalation," an official was quoted as saying. "This is the message we sent, and this is the request we made."
 


"We would be doing something grossly negligent if we did not take the necessary caveats in the light of a series of credible threats," said another State Department official. "This does not mean we are rushing into conflict." 

A third official compared the current situation in Iraq in 2011, when Americans were directly attacked, saying: "This series of threats is real." 

Officials said intelligence on the behavior of Iraqi fighters directly linked to Iran has been gathering for more than a week and suggests that insurgents are beginning to prepare for attacks on Americans, the newspaper said. Although the goals and dates are not known, the newspaper quoted the officials as saying that the course they are taking is clear. "We know the groups; we know who the groups are talking to," one of them said.

In return for the US State Department's decision, the US Embassy in Baghdad is among the largest in the world, realizing that the number of Americans working in Iraq will continue to be high, and that the number of American staff has been reduced. 

The US decision comes days after Washington warned its citizens to travel to Iraq, noting that the Iraqi Foreign Minister described the situation in Iraq, on Wednesday, stable, and called for dialogue between all parties. 

The US Embassy in Beirut warned its citizens yesterday of "rising tensions in the region" and wished them to maintain a high level of vigilance and awareness. 

And advised the Embassy to take the following measures: 

1 - stay out of sight 

2 - beware of what is going on around you 

3 - maintain personal security 

4 - keep travel documents.

 

https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/دوليات/304425/واشنطن-بوست-تروي-تفاصيل-تحذير-الخارجية-والسفارة-ال

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Military official: America and Germany have not stopped financial suppor t for Peshmerga and suspended military training temporarily

Political | 01:51 - 16/05/2019

 
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BAGHDAD - 
A military official in the Peshmerga forces said on Thursday that America and Germany did not stop financial support for the Peshmerga, pointing out that the suspension of military training would be temporary. 
The deputy chief of staff of the Peshmerga, Qaraman Kamal, told Mawazin News that "America and Germany have stopped military training only for the Peshmerga forces only," saying: "The financial support and weapons provided are continuing as has been reported to us." 
Kamal added that "the cessation of military training is temporary and not permanent." 
The Dutch government decided on Wednesday to suspend the work of its mission in Iraq, which is helping local authorities because of a security threat. " 
Dutch military forces are helping train Iraqi forces in Erbil, northern Iraq, in cooperation with other foreign forces.
The news agency "Reuters" on Wednesday, that Germany suspended German army training in Iraq because of increased tension in the region. 
Earlier in the day, the United States ordered its non-essential government staff to leave Iraq after repeatedly expressing concerns over threats from Iranian-backed forces.

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 2019/05/15 09:59:31
Reuters) - ExxonMobil has begun evacuating its employees in the West Qurna field in Basra, the US Free TV reported. 
The station quoted sources in the Basra Oil Company that Exxon Mobil Company begins evacuating its staff working in the field of West Qurna in the province of Basra.

515.jpg?width=332&height=354&mode=max
The decision came hours after the US embassy in Baghdad said the State Department had ordered "non-essential government employees" in Iraq to leave immediately, amid escalating tensions with Iran. 
It said in a statement that regular visa services at the US embassy and consulate in Erbil would be "temporarily suspended". 
"The US government has limited capacity to provide emergency services to US citizens in Iraq," she said. 
The move comes as tensions between the United States and Iran have risen recently after reports of plans by Tehran to attack US forces in Iraq and Syria.

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 2019/05/16 02:24:15
 

Iraq can declare a state of emergency in light of the current situation between the United States and Iran, according to legal expert Tariq Harb on Thursday.

"There are demands for a state of emergency in Iraq because of the current circumstances between America and Iran," Harb said in a statement.

He explained that the Constitution in Article 61 paragraph IX approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Iraq at the request of a joint President of the Republic and the Prime Minister submitted to the Parliament where the Constitution requires the approval of a majority of two-thirds of the deputies present after achieving the quorum if we assume that the number of attendance 210 deputies, As two-thirds of the audience.

"The duration of the emergency will be 30 days, which will be extended and approved every time, and the Prime Minister will be given the necessary powers to manage the country during this difficult period."

Both Germany and the United States decided on Wednesday to suspend military exercises for Iraqi forces because of tensions in the region.

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UK puts troops in Iraq on alert, citing Iran-linked threats: Sky News

By Rudaw 6 minutes ago

image.png.96729a6fd5dd444836988ea70902422a.png

http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/160520192

 

British soldiers and US Marines conduct an after action review as part of their coalition mission at al-Taqaddum, Iraq on April 11, 2019. Photo: Pfc. Zachary Myers/US Army

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Kingdom has raised the threat level for British military personnel based in Iraq due to an increased likelihood of Iran or its proxies taking action against British, US or other allied interests in the region, a government source told Sky News on Thursday. Iran has dismissed the reported threats as “propaganda.”

British military personnel and their families in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar are also on an increased state of alert. There are up to 1,400 UK military and civilian personnel deployed to counter-ISIS operations in Iraq.

The source told Sky News that Iran’s goal could be to send a message to the United States about sanctions that have left Iran's economy reeling, without doing something Iran could be seen as directly complicit for, potentially triggering a hard military response from the US. 

The UK Ministry of Defence on May 15 reiterated long-running concerns over Iran's “destabilising behaviour in the region." The statement was issued as clarification after Major General Chris Ghika told reporters during a video conference from coalition headquarters in Baghdad on Tuesday that there “has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria." 

The UK’s travel advisory for Iraq has remained unchanged since March 12. 

The US State Department says it has credible information of an “imminent” threat emanating from Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. The US on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of all non-emergency government staff from Iraq and has warned its citizens of a kidnapping risk. 

Iran’s mission at the United Nations, in a statement in response to the US pulling some of its diplomatic staff out of Iraq, said they pose no threat to anyone, anywhere. “Iran is not preparing for any attacks anywhere,” spokesperson Alireza Miryousefi said on Thursday. “This is just the latest escalation in the propaganda warfare the US waged against Iran, using ‘fake intelligence’ perhaps hoping to initiate a conflict.” 

Washington’s escalated warnings were based on photographs of missiles loaded onto small boats in the Persian Gulf by militias, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Recent attacks on vessels in these waters have been attributed to Iran. Tehran vehemently denied any involvement and called for an investigation. 

On the advice of the global coalition against ISIS, Germany and the Netherlands have temporarily suspended their missions training Iraqi and Peshmerga soldiers, though neither country has ordered an evacuation as of yet. 

Civilian targets like oil infrastructure could be potential targets, the source told Sky News. ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP have not pulled their staff out of the country, but they said on Wednesday they are "monitoring" the situation. 

Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said on Tuesday he sees no evidence of a threat against US personnel in the country. 

Tensions between Iran and the US are ratcheting up daily, a year after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the landmark nuclear deal and began re-imposing sanctions as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign to force Iran back to the negotiation table and contain its regional activities and missile programme. The Pentagon dispatched an aircraft carrier group, B-52 bombers, and Patriot missiles to the Middle East. Tehran announced it would scale back its commitments under the nuclear accord if it did not get some relief from sanctions. The two also slapped terror labels on branches of each other’s armed forces. 

Despite the aggressive posturing, both sides say they do not want a war. Analysts warn though that, without a clear diplomatic channel between Tehran and Washington, a collision could occur. 

 

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World

UK latest to raise threat level for forces in Iraq amid US-Iran standoff

21 minutes ago
 

UK latest to raise threat level for forces in Iraq amid US-Iran standoff
British forces in Iraq. (Photo: Sky)
 
 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Kingdom is the latest nation to react to the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran as Britain raised the threat level for its forces in Iraq on Thursday.

According to a statement by the UK’s Ministry of Defense, the decision was made because of “a range of threats to UK and coalition forces” related to “Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the region.”

“We keep the security of our deployed personnel and assets under constant review,” it added.

The statement said the threat level was also extended to British personnel and their families in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.

A week ago, the White House announced it was dispatching an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region in response to intelligence that Tehran was planning an attack against US targets or US allies.

On Wednesday, the US State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees from its embassy in Baghdad and consulate-general in the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil, as well as the suspension of normal visa services.

The German and Dutch Defense Ministries also said on Wednesday that they had temporarily paused their training missions in Iraq, which also includes troops that train Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the autonomous Kurdish region.

France, meanwhile, said it had no plans to suspend military training activities in Iraq, where 300 French military staff train Iraqi troops.

A spokesperson for the US-led Coalition told Kurdistan 24 that the training mission throughout Iraq will continue, despite increased tensions between the US and Iran.

The coalition “is continuing to train Iraqi Security Forces throughout Iraq,” Col. James Scott Rawlinson, Director of Public Affairs and Spokesperson for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), stated.

“The ISF has ensured the protection of Coalition Forces at each facility against any threat and has ensured the safety and security of coalition force members.”

Updated15 minutes ago

 


Edited by 6ly410
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