Iran on Sunday suggested that the US was behind a drone attack assassination attempt on Iraq’s prime minister, despite evidence pointing figure at Tehran-backed militias with a history of using drones in Baghdad.
Drones targeted Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s residence in Baghdad early Sunday.The Islamic republic’s national security chief claimed the attack was the work of “foreign think tanks.”
Iran‘s foreign ministry spokesman said “it was tied to forces pushing evil in the Mideast since 2003,” an indirect reference to the American invasion of Iraq.
Both US and Iraqi officials refused Iran’s claim as concerns increased over Iran-backed militias, who are angry over the results of Iraq’s recent elections in Iraq.
According to a local report, Kadhimi suffered a light cut on his hand in the attack, which reportedly involved three separate drones flying in a coordinated fashion. Two were intercepted while a third exploded into the residence in the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, injuring several of the prime minister’s security guards.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. However, the Associated Press reported that the attack occurred amid an ongoing clash between Iraqi security forces and pro-Iran Shiite militias whose supporters have been camped outside the Green Zone for nearly a month.
Iran-backed parties lost roughly two-thirds of their seats in the elections.
