Former US ambassador to Iraq named as next chargé d'affaires in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Steven Fagin, a former US ambassador to Yemen, is expected to take over as the next chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad, according to political sources cited by Asharq Al-Awsat. The appointment would follow the end of the tenure of Joshua Harris, who has been serving as the embassy's temporary chargé d'affaires. Fagin is described as a diplomat specializing in Iraq and particularly in Iran-related matters. His reported appointment comes as the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad remains at a reduced level, a setup that former Iraqi lawmaker Saad Salih said reflects Washington's reluctance to offer greater support to the Iraqi government. Salih also said there is a lack of seriousness in efforts to bring weapons under state control, an issue he argued the United States views as a political maneuver. He suggested that Iraq will either try to stay out of the US-Iran confrontation or be drawn into a position providing logistical support to a longer-term US effort against Iran.