BAGHDAD: The US ambassador to Iraq met Sunday with former PM Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi politician’s office said, a day after pro-Iran militants struck US forces in the country.
The meeting in Baghdad with Ambassador Alina Romanowski comes amid soaring regional tensions. Maliki, an influential figure in Iraqi politics and one of the top leaders of a pro-Iranian bloc, discussed with Romanowski “the future of bilateral relations” with the US and “the escalation in regional tensions”, a statement from his office said.
He stressed “the importance of strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation” between the US and Iraq, the statement added. Maliki also warned against “the expansion of war” and called for “swift action to reduce tensions”. Romanowski is yet to comment.