US to send Marines to embassy in Iraq

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday blamed Iran for “orchestrating” an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad and said he would hold Tehran “fully responsible.”

The American leader’s warning came as US officials revealed that more Marines were likely to be sent to protect the mission in the Iraqi capital.

Protesters scaled walls and attempted to force their way into the compound on Tuesday during demonstrations against American airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia group targets in Iraq. Writing on Twitter, Trump said: “Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many.

We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the embassy, and so notified.”

In a separate tweet, the US president added: “To those many millions of people in Iraq who want freedom and who don’t want to be dominated and controlled by Iran, this is your time!”

With the huge embassy put under lockdown, one official claimed dozens of extra US troops would be temporarily sent there, while another said two Apache helicopters had carried out a “show of force” over the site.