Iran has promised to avenge the assassination of one of its powerful generals, Qassem Soleimani, killed Friday in a US drone attack in Baghdad, an escalation that raises fears of an open conflict between the two enemy countries.
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Thehe Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Philippe Goffin, said on Friday “gravely concerned” by the situation in Iraq and the region after the death, in an American raid, of the powerful Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and a leader of the Iraqi paramilitary movement Hachd al-Chaa, predominantly pro-Iranian, Abou Mehdi al-Mouhandis.
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“As a (head of a country’s diplomacy) a member of the United Nations Security Council, I would like to emphasize that the international legal order must be respected and the protection of embassies, as well as diplomatic missions must be insured, “he said in a statement.
“I call on all actors to be careful and avoid any further escalation. Diplomatic solutions to tensions and conflicts in the region must be sought and a political solution to (the crisis in) Iraq must be found, “added Mr. Goffin (MR).
A hundred Belgian nationals in Iraq
“The (Belgian) embassy in Jordan, which represents our interests in Iraq, and our colleagues here in Brussels, are monitoring the situation closely,” he said. According to the minister, a consultation took place between the European partners on the spot.
A hundred Belgian nationals stay in Iraq, some 200 in Iran – including 150 in Tehran – and 7,500 in Israel, according to official figures available to the Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs identifying the people who went to the embassy or which are registered via the travellersonline site.
According to Mr. Goffin, “a flash message will also be sent to our nationals to take the necessary precautions and not to participate in the demonstrations”.
“All trips not recommended”
“There is no travel advice adjustment at this time. Our travel tips were already very clear. All travel to Iraq is not recommended except the Kurdish region where we do not recommend all non-essential travel, “said the minister.
According to the Defense Ministry, “less than ten Belgian soldiers” are staying in Iraq, some of them at the headquarters of the US-led anti-Islamic coalition (IS) in Baghdad.
For the Belgians who are still in Iraq, the recommendations are to exercise great caution, to avoid movement, not to approach military or official buildings, to follow the situation closely and to register for Embassy in Amman.
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