Trump administration's 'maximum pressure' strategy against Iran not working: Analyst

A political analyst said an attack on the US embassy in Baghdad by Iran-backed militiamen showed the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" strategy against Tehran was not working.

Will Ruger, vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch Institute, said the strategy of heavy sanctions was not creating a "docile" Iran but instead "creating more hostilities and more challenges".

The militiamen withdrew from the embassy compound in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday after two days of clashes with American security forces.

The attack and its volatile aftermath prompted the Pentagon to send hundreds of additional troops to the Middle East and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to delay a European and Central Asian trip.

Ruger said Pompeo's decision to delay the overseas visit could be his way of "signaling" the gravity of the situation to US President Donald Trump.