The US embassy in Iraq says the state department has ordered all non-emergency government staff to leave the country immediately.

The move comes amid escalating tensions with Iran, after Washington last week said it had detected new and urgent threats from the country.

The US State Department ordered the pullout of employees from both the embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil, the embassy said in a statement.

It said Iran and its proxy forces in the region were targeting its citizens and American interests.

On Sunday, the embassy advised Americans to avoid travel to Iraq, citing "heightened tensions".

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