"After events in Baghdad we raised the security level of 160 French troops in Iraq starting last Friday", Florence Parly tweeted.
4. Après les événements survenus à Bagdad, nous avons dès vendredi dernier renforcé le niveau de protection de nos 160 militaires français déployés en Irak. Tout est mis en œuvre pour assurer leur sécurité.
— Florence Parly (@florence_parly) January 7, 2020
Parly argued that France had a stabilizing presence in Iraq. She called on Iran to exercise restraint and return to the nuclear deal, which it said Sunday it was no longer bound by.
Separately, the French Foreign Ministry has updated its travel advisory for Iran to warn French citizens against going to the country over regional security concerns. Those already in Iran were asked to avoid public gatherings.
The Iraqi parliament has demanded that all foreign troops withdraw from the country but Washington said its forces were staying. A US general’s letter announcing the pullout of the international coalition appeared on social media but was rejected by the Pentagon as a mistake.
Tensions between Iran and the United States soared after Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was killed last Friday on the orders of US President Donald Trump. Tehran has vowed revenge.
