Dozens of Iraqi Shia militiamen and their supporters broke into the compound in Baghdad during scenes of violence this afternoon. Protestors smashed through a main door and set fire to a reception area in protest over deadly US air-strikes targeting the Iranian-backed militia. Mr Trump has accused Iran of “orchestrating” the attack on the embassy and warned they will be “held responsible” – Tehran has denied any involvement.
The US President wrote on Twitter: “Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many.
“We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq.
“They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has since hit back at the US President.
Ms Mousavi said in a statement: “America has the surprising audacity of attributing to Iran the protests of the Iraqi people against (Washington’s) savage killing of at least 25 Iraqis.”
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed 100 US marines were being deployed to the embassy.
In Washington, the State Department said all US personnel at the embassy were safe, and there were no plans to evacuate the site.
There were no reports of casualties, but the unprecedented breach was one of the worst attacks on the embassy in recent memory.
The attack at embassy followed US air-strikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of the Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Kataeb Hezbollah.
The US military said the air-strikes were in retaliation for last week’s killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that it blamed on the militia.
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The mob of marchers, many of them in militia uniforms, shouted “Down, Down USA!” and “Death to America”.
Protestors also hung a poster on the wall declaring, “America is an aggressor” and sprayed graffiti on the wall and windows.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has confirmed he has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and said they had guaranteed the safety of US personnel and property.
A State Department spokeswoman said: “The Secretary made clear the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and
independent Iraq.”