The US government’s accusation that Iran was directly involved in the attack on the American embassy in Baghdad goes further than ever in laying blame for Tuesday’s attack on Tehran.
US special representative Brian Hook told The National that the attack was orchestrated by Iran and confirmed that US officials had identified a direct link.
Thousands of supporters of an Iranian-backed militia chanting anti-US slogans breached the embassy's compound, threw petrol bombs and daubed pro-Iranian slogans on the walls before withdrawing after a 24-hour siege.
Mr Hook did not reveal the evidence held by the US but said: “Iran organises, trains and equips Shiite military proxies and we do not make a distinction between the Iranian regime and Iranian militias.
“Any attack by an Iranian militia, the Iranian regime will be held accountable.”
Mr Hook said the situation was “relatively calm” on Wednesday and expected that security would improve with new US troops and Iraqi security posted to the area.
He said the withdrawal, ordered by the leaders of the militia that had been designated a terrorist organisation by the US, was a positive development.
“These were not protesters, they were terrorists,” Mr Hook said. “They were leaders of various terrorist organisations and they appeared at our embassy.
"It should not be confused with the legitimate Iraqi protesters who have been out in the streets since October."
He chided the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi for security failures that allowed the protesters into the protected compound.
“The US relies on the Iraqi government to do two things – protect our embassy and our soldiers," Mr Hook said.
"There have been 11 military strikes in two months against our bases, which are there to ensure defeat of ISIS."
The Iraqi government has posted more troops near the embassy after calls from US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Mr Abdul Mahdi.
Mr Hook rejected suggestions that the attack on the embassy and the 24-hour occupation showed the US administration’s policy of maximum pressure on Iran was failing.
He said the policies of sanctions, military action and cancelling the nuclear deal under Donald Trump had “put the regime in a state of panicked aggression and it’s now lashing out in places like Saudi Arabia and Baghdad”.
Mr Hook dismissed suggestions that the US had not been targeted under the administration of Barack Obama, who struck the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and world powers.
“The people who claim that don’t know their history,” he said.
“In the period that the nuclear deal was negotiated and implemented, there were 72 separate acts of Iranian terrorism, terrorist threats, regional aggression, violation of UN arms embargo and cyber attacks.”
The US carried out military strikes against Kataib Hezbollah on Monday after it killed an American contractor in a rocket attack on a Kirkuk base.
“If we had not conducted those strikes, it would only have tempted Iran to increase the number and scale of its attacks,” Mr Hook said.
He expected more sanctions to be imposed on Iran, and described the government as isolated and running out of money.
Mr Hook would not say whether the US would withdraw its troops from Iraq if the attacks continued.
“We don’t preview our military options but there will be additional sanctions on Iran,” he said.
Daniel Serwer of Johns Hopkins University, who has criticised the Trump administration’s approach, said the embassy attack was a severely damaging blow given the scale of the US presence in Iraq.
Mr Serwer said that Iraq was far more important than Libya as a major oil producer and a "front-line state" for Iran.
“Thousands of American lives and trillions of dollars have been spent to ensure a friendly and semi-democratic government, as well as to secure a competitive foothold in Iraq, where 5,000 or so US troops are still training Iraqi security forces,” he wrote.
“US withdrawal from Iraq would constitute a major Iranian victory, allowing Tehran to consolidate its access to Syria and Lebanon, as well as the Mediterranean.”
Mr Serwer said the embassy would not be able to function as before but it was unlikely that more US troops would be withdrawn.
“The additional US troops being sent may be able to prevent any deaths or capture of Americans, but they won’t be able to restore the embassy to normal functionality,” he said.
“Evacuation of most of the civilians is likely.”
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Blonde
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Ronaldo's record at Man Utd
Seasons 2003/04 - 2008/09
Appearances 230
Goals 115
The%20specs
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Nadhra, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Dars, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Taghzel, Malin Holmberg, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: M’Y Yaromoon, Khalifa Al Neyadi, Jesus Rosales
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeem, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Vikram%20Vedha
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The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
FIXTURES
Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney
Note: d/n = day/night
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.