Bahrain condemns US embassy attack

Bahrain yesterday strongly condemned attempts to storm the United States Embassy in Iraq leading US troops to fire teargas to repel them. The attack, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and other international norms and covenants.

Describing the incident as an “attack on the security and safety of the Embassy staff”, the ministry called on all parties in Iraq to exercise restraint. The statement also affirmed the position of Bahrain that supports the efforts of the Iraqi government to establish security and stability and strengthen the rule of law in Iraq.

Following the attack, US marines were sent to the Baghdad embassy to boost security. US Defence secretary Mark Esper later announced that about 750 soldiers would be deployed to the region. There are about 5,000 US troops already stationed in Iraq. It was the first time in years protesters have been able to reach the US embassy, which is sheltered behind a series of checkpoints in the high-security Green Zone.

Protesters threw rocks and wrenched security cameras off the walls. US marines inside the compound fired tear gas and flash bangs to disperse the crowd, which had ignored calls over megaphones to back away from the embassy. On Sunday, at least 25 fighters from a hardline Hashed faction known as Kataeb Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) were killed in US airstrikes on a western base.

Trump tweeted that Iran “will pay a very big price” for any damage or loss of life. “This is not a warning, it is a threat,” he said.