The Iraqi Foreign Ministry building in Baghdad
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry says country not party to conflict in response to US Embassy
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Foreign Ministry responded Thursday to a U.S. Embassy security alert warning of imminent attacks in Baghdad, reaffirming that Iraq is not a party to the regional conflict while acknowledging that some actors may be operating outside official state policy.
“Iraq is not a party to this conflict and does not wish to be part of it,” the ministry said, adding that the country remains “among the most affected by its security, economic and political repercussions.” It said the government is “making every effort to prevent any escalation, strengthen security measures, protect diplomatic missions, foreign interests and citizens, and maintain internal stability.”
On the embassy’s warning that militia members may present false Iraqi government credentials, the ministry said some parties “may attempt, contrary to state directions, to take unilateral actions or exploit their positions or official capacities to carry out acts that do not represent official policy,” stressing that such actions “do not in any way reflect the role of the Government of Iraq or its institutions.”
The ministry also pushed back on the broader characterization of the conflict, describing it as “an open war with expanding scope and overlapping repercussions” marked by “a clear decline in adherence to legal and humanitarian standards,” which has created additional challenges for governments not directly involved, including Iraq.
The U.S. Embassy had warned earlier Thursday that Iran-aligned militia groups “may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24 to 48 hours,” targeting U.S. citizens, diplomatic facilities, hotels, airports and other locations associated with the United States, and cautioned that “the Iraqi government has not prevented terrorist attacks in or from Iraqi territory.” The warning came days after American journalist Shelly Kittleson was abducted near the Palestine Hotel in central Baghdad by an armed group in black uniforms.