Iraqi foreign ministry summons US envoy to Baghdad

ISTANBUL

Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday announced it summoned Matthew Tueller, the U.S. envoy to Baghdad after the U.S. strikes on Iraq.

Iraq condemned the diplomat over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, when a U.S. drone struck his convoy outside Baghdad's airport on Friday.

The Foreign Ministry said this was a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and contradicts the agreed-upon missions of the international coalition.

Tueller was told the attack was against the bilateral agreements and the Iraqi territory should not be used to attack other countries.

These U.S. air operations are illegal, the statement said, adding that this would raise the tension in the region.

The Iranian general's slaying marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which have often been at a fever pitch since President Donald Trump chose in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw Washington from a nuclear pact world powers struck with Tehran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who gave Soleimani the country’s highest honor last year, vowed "severe retaliation" in response to his killing.

The Pentagon accused Soleimani of plotting an attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, and planning to carry out additional attacks on U.S. diplomats and service members in Iraq and the region.

* Writing by Dilara Hamit in Ankara