Iran imposes sanctions on US diplomats in Baghdad

Shafaq News / the Iranian Foreign Ministry decided on Friday to impose sanctions on US diplomats in Iraq, in response to the sanctions imposed by Washington on the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, Iraj Masjedi.

The Iranian sanctions included the US ambassador and his deputy in Iraq, and the Consul General of the United States in Erbil, according to Iranian media.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatib Zadeh tweeted that the US ambassador to Baghdad, Matthew Toller, "played a major role in coordinating terrorist attacks in Iraq as he is involved in the assassination of the Iranian" Quds Force "commander, Qassem Soleimani and the imposition of sanctions on Iran.

Earlier, The United States blacklisted Iraj Masjedi, Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq, saying he has for years overseen the training and support of Iraqi militia groups which are responsible for attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.

“In his current capacity, Masjedi has exploited his position as the Iranian regime’s ambassador in Iraq to obfuscate financial transfers conducted for the benefit of the IRGC-QF,” Treasury said in a statement, referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.