WASHINGTON, United States – The US government ordered the evacuation of non-emergency staff from its Baghdad embassy Wednesday due to an “imminent” threat from…
WASHINGTON, United States – The US government ordered the evacuation of non-emergency staff from its Baghdad embassy Wednesday due to an “imminent” threat from Iranian-linked Iraqi militias, but President Donald Trump predicted that Iran would “soon” want to start talks.
The evacuation order, also covering the US consulate in Arbil, came 10 days after the Pentagon deployed an aircraft carrier task force and B-52 bombers to the Gulf to fend off an unspecified plot by Tehran to attack US forces or allies.
Washington and Tehran have said they have no intention of going to war, but tensions have soared in recent weeks and Trump’s critics say he is rushing into a conflict.
In a series of tweets, Trump sought to portray the situation as under control, saying there was no discord in the White House and that Iran would want to negotiate.
“I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon,” he said.
Trump blasted media reports about turmoil in the White House, saying “there is no infighting whatsoever.”
Despite international skepticism, the US government has been building a case for growing threats from Iran, a longtime enemy and rival of US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Senior State Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the threat came from Iraqi militias “commanded and controlled” by Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“It is directly linked to Iran, multiple threat streams directly linked to Iran,” said one official.
