Washington, United States: The US State Secretary – Antony Blinken, who is currently on a diplomatic tour to the Middle East nation, landed in Iraq on Sunday. This visit was not announced prior. This official trip by Blinken was scheduled amid the expanding conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas, which started on October 7.
It is to be noted that this was Blinken’s first-ever trip to Iraq after taking the job role as a top US diplomat. After landing in the nation on Sunday eve, the US State Secretary had an interactive session with the Prime Minister of Iraq – Mohammed al-Sudani.
Reports have claimed that Blinken and his delegation headed towards Baghdad after a visit to the occupied West Bank.
Blinken’s Black Hawk helicopter landed at the International Airport of Baghdad. He donned a ballistic vest and landed at the Green Zone, an area of US occupation of Iraq after an invasion in the year 2003. Following this, he went to the residence of the US ambassador, where he was briefed about the threats to US troops.
Then, he headed to the Office of the Prime Minister of Iraq.
US efforts to reduce conflict in Mideast region
Several reports have outlined that Washington has been putting all effort into preventing the increasing regional conflict. During this visit, US top diplomats have been talking to the higher authorities of the regional countries to cooperate and put efforts to decrease the conflict.
He has stepped up diplomacy with regional countries whose populations have been angered by Israel’s assault on Gaza, according to the reports Reuters.
Following this visit, US State Secretary Antony Blinken traveled to Turkey later on Sunday – where people are protesting.
Hezbollah’s warning for US State Secretary
On Saturday night, Iran-backed group Kataib Hezbollah warned the US State that the expected Blinken visit would be met with an unprecedented escalation, according to the reports by the news agency Reuters.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, on Friday commented that the regional conflict will not stop until or unless the Israeli Defense Forces stop bombardment in Gaza.
It is known that US Defense officials have several times underscored that the US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked by rockets and drones since the surprise attack by the militant group Hamas on Israel on October 7.
Amid these uncertainties, the Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran have issued a warning to target the US military, deployed in other regions, with missiles and drones if the United States will continue its support for Israel’s ground invasion in Gaza.
Meeting between Blinken and al-Sudani
State Secretary of the United States Blinken publicly warned that if anyone will attack US personnel by taking advantage of the conflict – Don’t do it.
Following the meeting with al-Sudani, Blinken told the media, “It was very important to send a very clear message to anyone who might seek to take advantage of the conflict in Gaza to threaten our personnel here or anywhere else in the region: Don’t do it,” according to Reuters.
It is reported that Al-Sudani has underscored that the government of Iraq will pursue the attackers on three military bases in the nation, including Harir in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, a military base near Baghdad’s international airport and Ain al-Asad in western Iraq.