A senior U.S. diplomat met with senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad and “called for steps to protect protestors, journalists and civil society activists from assassination and violence at the behest of armed groups”, while expressing “America’s enduring commitment to a secure, stable and sovereign Iraq, free of external intervention”. According to an Iraqi readout of the conversation with President Salih, the president underlined that “the solutions to the current situation in Iraq should be in response to the Iraq's national decision and free from external interference”.