Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
Nato has moved its personnel from Iraq after a series of attacks from Iran and amid “worsening” security situation in the region, the alliance said (15:28, 16:08, 16:53).
This comes as US president Donald Trump doubled down on its unrelated criticism of the alliance, calling allies “cowards” for not joining his war against Iran (15:20).
Separately,
Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, reacted to the crisis provoked by the Iran war by unveiling a €5bn, 80-point package of measures to help Spaniards weather the economic uncertainty (13:24, 13:27).
Speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting, Sánchez also reiterated his outspoken opposition to the “illegal” conflict (13:39).
And earlier,
The French navy has boarded an oil tanker in the western Mediterranean, which was flying a Mozambican flag and had departed from Russia (12:36, 13:03).
France’s president Emmanuel Macron said the vessel belonged to the Russian shadow fleet and stressed that “the war in Iran will not divert France from its support for Ukraine” (12:42).
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AP has a bit more useful context on Nato’s Iraq mission (16:08), which was launched in 2018 to advise Iraqi authorities on how to develop and build effective institutions and forces. It works mostly around Baghdad.
It said the push to relocate came after a series of attacks from Iran on other troops at British, French and Italian bases in northern Iraq.
Nato said its mission would continue from a military headquarters in Naples, Italy.
Updated
