Protesters rally near Green Zone demanding US Embassy closure

BAGHDAD — Protesters gathered beneath the 14th of July Bridge in central Baghdad on Saturday, renewing calls for the closure of the U.S. Embassy and warning they could storm the compound if their demands are not met.

Demonstrators raised Iranian flags and banners of several armed factions, citing Washington’s involvement in the war with Iran and airstrikes on PMF positions as justification for their demands. The protests resumed days after earlier gatherings subsided, with previous demonstrations at the same location turning violent — security forces deployed tear gas and live ammunition, leaving several people injured, and authorities detained a number of protesters before later releasing them.

The renewed protests follow the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several Iranian officials, which has intensified calls among demonstrators to shut down the embassy.

The compound has been repeatedly struck in recent days. A drone attack hit the facility earlier this week, with military spokesman Sabah al-Numan condemning it as “a criminal act of aggression” and “a blatant terrorist assault on Iraq’s sovereignty and authority.” Explosions were also reported at the Victory Base Complex near Baghdad International Airport, with air defense systems activated at both sites.

Attacks have extended beyond the embassy. The Al-Rasheed Hotel, housing the Saudi embassy and the EU Advisory Mission, was struck by a drone. The UAE Consulate General in Erbil was hit twice in a week. NATO completed the withdrawal of all its personnel from Iraq on March 20, relocating the mission to Joint Force Command Naples.

The U.S. Embassy has urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately, warning that Iran-aligned groups “have encouraged and conducted indiscriminate attacks on U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq.”