Decision to open Green Zone for public irreversible: official
Mohamed al-Bayati, secretary of Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi, said on Thursday that both the prime minister and the parliament speaker have a unified vision to open the Green Zone for the public, stressing that the decision will not be reversed.
Abd al-Mahdi ordered in March opening the Green Zone. Iraqi media quoted an unnamed government source as saying that Abd al-Mahdi will announce in the coming days fully opening the Green Zone before the end of this month.
Iraqi security authorities have announced on Wednesday a new plan to secure the Green Zone in the Karkh district of central Baghdad.
A rocket was fired into the Iraqi capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling US Embassy.
The attack came among growing tension across the Arabian Gulf after the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region earlier this month to Iran’s threats.
The 10 square kilometer zone is home to the state's top political institutions and embassies. Outgoing Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced in 2015 opening the Green Zone to the public for the first time in 12 years.
