Iran claims missile barrage near US consulate in Iraq

Baghdad: Iran claimed responsibility Sunday for a missile barrage that struck near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in northern Iraq, saying it was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard earlier this week.

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the attack, calling it a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty. No injuries were reported in Sunday’s attack on the city of Irbil, which marked a significant escalation between the U.S. and Iran.

Hostility between the longtime foes has often played out in Iraq, whose government is allied with both countries. The attack drew harsh condemnation from the Iraqi government, which called it a “violation of international law and norms” and demanded an explanation from the Iranian leadership.

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sahhaf said that the ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador, Iraj Masjedi, to deliver the diplomatic protest. The United States strongly condemned the strike and said it was an unjustified attack on a civilian residence.

“We will support the Government of Iraq in holding Iran accountable, and we will support our partners throughout the Middle East in confronting similar threats from Iran,” the White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in a statement. “The United States of America stands behind the full sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Iraq.” —AP