Foreign Ministry: Georgian citizens in Iraq are safe

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has announced that Georgian citizens who are currently in Iraq face no threat amid the current tension there. 

The ministry reported that the majority of Georgians are in the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. 

• FM Zalkaliani on Iraq situation ‘It’s time for diplomacy to de-escalate, reduce tensions’

It also noted based on information provided by citizens that the situation in the province is calm and they face no threat there. 

In case of emergency, all Georgian citizens in Iraq can contact the Georgian Embassy in Jordan, as Georgia has no diplomatic representation in Iraq, by phoning + 962 797 299 799.

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office

US media reported that attacks broke out in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad among hundreds of protesters in response to airstrikes in Iraq and Syria conducted by US forces almost a week ago. 

However, the US Secretary Mike Pompeo said on New Year eve that the US "defensive action was aimed at deterring Iran and protecting American lives".

• Georgian FM condemns attack on US Embassy in Iraq

US President Donald Trump, who had warned the Iranian leaders that they would be held responsible for "any death or destruction" after the attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, ordered the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, a key Iranian military commander.

CNN reported today that the military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Major General Hossein Dehghan has warned that Tehran's response to the killing by the US of its most most influential general will "for sure be military".

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has condemned the “recent violence, provocative attack” on the US Embassy and called on everyone to “de-escalate and reduce tensions".