Iraq urged fellow Arab and Muslim states today to send ambassadors to Baghdad in defiance of attacks by al-Qaeda insurgents who killed Egypt's kidnapped envoy and have threatened other diplomats.
"The criminals wanted by this act to terrorise Arab and Islamic countries and deter them from upgrading their diplomatic missions in Iraq," Iraq's Foreign Ministry said.
"Arab and Islamic countries are asked to prove their seriousness in combating terrorism and send their ambassadors to Baghdad so they send the right message to the terrorists."
Iraq's president promised top security for diplomats and Interior Minister Bayan Jabor, who has chided envoys for travelling without protection, said Iraqi armed escorts were always available.
Police are hunting the killers of Egyptian envoy Ihab el- Sherif, a day after Cairo confirmed his death at the hands of al-Qaeda kidnappers. He had been snatched off a Baghdad street on Saturday.
The Islamist militants posted a video showing Mr Sherif speaking but not his killing.
Pakistan's ambassador left the country after his motorcade was shot up on Tuesday. The same day, the envoy from the Gulf Arab state of Bahrain was shot in the hand as he drove to work.
Iraq had said last week that Egypt was planning to become the first Arab state to have a full-ranking ambassador in Baghdad since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 — something Cairo never confirmed.