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Source: Dubai – Arabia.net
Following the American warning to Iraq that the United States will close its embassy in Baghdad if the Iraqi government does not act to stop attacks by Iranian-backed militias against the Americans, sources at Al Arabiya said Monday night that there is news of an imminent decision by the United States to close the Washington embassy in Baghdad.
According to sources, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented a series of demands to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to prevent the closure of the US embassy in Baghdad.
Pompeo also gave Al-Kazemi a deadline to implement Washington’s demands before closing the embassy, according to sources.
As for the news circulating about the departure of Washington’s ambassador to Baghdad, Matthew Toller, to Erbil, the sources mentioned that there is a US denial in this regard.
Break into the embassy and take hostages
For his part, the Al-Arabiya correspondent reported that Pompeo informed Al-Kazimi of Washington’s anger at the continued attacks on the US embassy.
To that, the reporter added that Washington had given Al-Kazemi one last chance to deter factions attacking his embassy. According to Al Arabiya sources, Pompeo’s term for Iraqi leadership will expire on Monday.
This comes at a time when US sources in Iraq announced to Al-Arabiya that “we have information about a plan to storm the embassy and take hostages from it.”
And according to Al Arabiya sources, the Iraqi government will clear the Green Zone of all security forces except the Special Division.
A big dilemma for Kazemi
It should be noted that Pompeo had secretly warned Iraq this week that the United States would close its embassy in Baghdad if the Iraqi government did not act to stop attacks by Iranian-backed militias against the Americans.
According to the US newspaper “Washington Post”, this request creates a great dilemma for Mustafa Kazemi, who until now was favored by the administration of US President Donald Trump. Iraq’s prime minister wants to curb pro-Iranian militias, but not in a process that leads to political disaster in his country.
Mustafa Al-Kazemi
The newspaper also clarified that if Pompeo followed through on his threat and closed the embassy to protect the Americans, Iran and its allies could claim a major propaganda victory, but the shutdown may also be a prelude to intense American air strikes against the militias, as Iraq is where the confrontation between the United States and Iran could erupt in the coming weeks, creating the “October surprise” ahead of the US presidential elections.
“In turn, Iran was cautious about provoking the Trump administration directly in the campaign season, preferring to operate on the Iraqi battlefield that can be denied. Pompeo has now made that covert campaign more difficult, lo It increases the possibility of open conflict, and confrontation poses risks, “he added. Potential in all directions. “
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