Iraqi Forces Fire Teargas at Pro-Iran Protesters Near U.S. Embassy as Regional Conflict Spreads Across Middle East

Iraqi security forces fired teargas on Sunday to disperse dozens of pro-Iran protesters attempting to breach Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, escalating tensions inside Iraq as the widening conflict triggered by the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued to ripple across the region.

Image Source: White House

The confrontation unfolded near the diplomatic district housing the U.S. Embassy — one of Washington’s largest overseas missions — after demonstrators marched through the Iraqi capital mourning Khamenei, who was killed a day earlier in joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. 

According to reporting carried by the Associated Press, protesters attempted to move toward restricted government areas before Iraqi forces intervened using crowd-control measures to prevent entry.

The demonstrations reflected growing anger among Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, where Tehran maintains significant political and militia influence despite Baghdad’s longstanding effort to balance relations between neighboring Iran and strategic partner United States. Authorities moved quickly to contain the protests amid fears of attacks on diplomatic or military facilities.

Security concerns intensified after Iran-backed Iraqi militias claimed responsibility for drone and rocket strikes targeting an American base near Irbil airport in northern Iraq. Witnesses cited by the Associated Press reported plumes of smoke and successive explosions following the attack, though no immediate casualties were confirmed. Militia groups said the strikes were carried out in solidarity with Iran following the killing of its top leadership.

The unrest in Iraq comes as the Israel-Iran war shows expanding geographic consequences. Satellite imagery released by commercial intelligence firms showed damage across multiple regional locations, including smoke rising from Iran’s Konorak Naval Basin and impact sites along Dubai’s coastline after Iranian retaliatory strikes targeted infrastructure linked to U.S. and allied presence.

Inside Iran, civilians described growing fear as airstrikes struck urban areas. A Tehran resident said an explosion landed only hundreds of meters from her home, sending a column of smoke into the sky and leaving residents uncertain about the country’s direction as bombardments continued.

The conflict’s ripple effects have extended beyond security into diplomacy and global events. Iran’s football federation signaled uncertainty about participation in upcoming World Cup matches scheduled in the United States, reflecting deteriorating relations after the strikes. Meanwhile, U.S. officials indicated that potential new Iranian leadership figures may be open to future talks, though military operations remain ongoing.

President Donald Trump said U.S. forces had destroyed multiple Iranian naval vessels and severely damaged naval headquarters during the campaign, while American B-2 stealth bombers targeted ballistic missile facilities viewed by Washington as a strategic threat.

Across the region, retaliatory attacks, militia mobilization and mass demonstrations underscore the fragile position of countries like Iraq, which now faces renewed internal pressure as rival regional powers confront each other directly.