U.S. secretary of state Pompeo starts Iraq visit, meets parliament speaker
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks with the press as he flies to the Middle East on January 7, 2019. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid on Wednesday a surprise visit to Baghdad, where he met with Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi.
Halbousi’s media office gave no details about the meeting.
Pompeo started a Mideast tour Tuesday to coordinate efforts with U.S. allies in the region to “put real pressure on Iran.”
He is set to make stops in Jordan, Egypt and several Gulf nations.
Pompeo’s visit to Iraq comes in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria.