The local media in Iraq said on Thursday that the move will affect “employees of companies that have signed contracts with the embassy,” though the specific firms were not disclosed. They also emphasized that the decision “is not related to the current situation in the West Asia.”

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry noted that the embassy is operating “as usual” and that authorities have not received any notice of a large-scale staff repatriation, TASS reported.

The US embassy has not yet officially commented on the reports.

MA/PR