The U.S. State Department announced that it summoned Iraq’s ambassador on Thursday to condemn what it described as “serious terrorist attacks” carried out by Iran-backed armed groups against U.S. interests in Iraq.
The United States “will not tolerate attacks on its interests and expects the Iraqi government to immediately take all necessary measures to dismantle Iran-linked militia groups in Iraq,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nazar Al-Khirullah and expressed the U.S. government’s “strong condemnation” of the attacks, including an ambush on April 8 targeting American diplomats in Baghdad, Pigott said.
He did not provide further details about the alleged ambush.
Iraq has been drawn into the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following repeated attacks on U.S. interests, particularly the American Embassy in Baghdad.
Pro-Iranian armed groups announced on Wednesday that they would suspend their attacks for two weeks following a ceasefire declaration between the United States and Iran.
While acknowledging the efforts of Iraqi security forces to respond to the attacks, the Deputy Secretary also stressed the Iraqi government’s failure to prevent them, Pigott said.
He added that U.S.-Iraq relations have been negatively affected by claims that “some elements linked to the Iraqi government continue to provide political, financial, and operational cover for militias.”
