Growing tension between Iraq, Jordan

Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Sunday called home for "urgent consultation" the Charge d'affaires at the Baghdad embassy, Demia Hadad. The envoy's recall was temporary and it did not mean necessarily a mount to a closing the Embassy in Baghdad, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson told Jordan News Agency, Petra. Iraq made a similar act on Sunday.

According to Petra, the Embassy received threats based on a "negative perception to Jordan's stand towards terror acts being carried out in Iraq and following latest development." "Jordan strongly condemns all forms of terror acts that target Iraq's security and stability, said the Jordanian official.

The diplomatic crisis between the two governments came following a week of protests in which Shiite demonstrators raised the Iraqi flag over the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad and claims by the Shiite clergy-backed United Iraqi Alliance that Jordan was allowing terrorists to slip into Iraq.