A senior US official suggested that Baghdad would face unprecedented international isolation if attacks continued against military bases hosting American advisors in Iraq.
Despite the escalation of political calls to close the US embassy, the official spoke of a good opportunity for the Iraqi government to impose its control over unruly armed groups and stop their hostilities.
For weeks, the international coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have been subjected to missile attacks using drones. Groups calling themselves the “Islamic Resistance” say they aim to curb the war on Gaza, but US officials are extremely concerned about the dangerous repercussions of these attacks.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the US official stressed that the Iranian authorities were claiming that they do not want to expand the conflict, but in reality they are developing the tools of their proxies in the region and deploying new armed groups.
A previous report by Asharq Al-Awsat, citing Iraqi sources, revealed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was reviewing plans for the deployment of Iraqi factions in the west of the country.
Americans tend to believe that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, was avoiding escalation and trying to chase armed groups. But the US official believes that with the increase of attacks, more measures are needed.
He emphasized that there was no gray area in the conflict, adding that the US was aware that the factions do not operate under orders from Sudani, but as head of government, he is asked to make more efforts to stop the attacks on the international coalition.
So far, Washington has chosen to respond to the attacks in Syria and not in Iraq, according to the American official, because it does not want Iraq to become more involved in the conflict. However, he warned that the situation was changing.
Last week, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, called for shutting down the American embassy in Baghdad, while representatives moved to collect signatures requesting a session to consider this request. But the ruling Framework coalition is not supportive of this campaign, and is trying to undermine it.
According to the American official, the history of demonstrations against diplomatic missions in Baghdad does not give Washington confidence that these protests will remain peaceful.
He suggested that Baghdad would be exposed to international isolation, warning that the American embassy would not leave Baghdad alone, but would be accompanied by regional and Western missions.
The US official emphasized that Iraq must choose its place in the conflict.
During the past two weeks, the Iraqi prime minister pledged to protect diplomatic missions and ordered the country’s law enforcement forces to pursue those who carried out attacks on military bases. However, doubts are emerging about his ability to limit the influence of the leaders of the pro-Iranian factions, who are intertwined in a network of relationships with forces within the ruling coalition.
