Commander-in-Chief Orders Committee to Define Security Ties with Washington Before Full US Troop Withdrawal

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, directed the formation of a committee to define the form of the security and military relationship between Iraq and the United States, aiming to formulate it within the parameters and requirements of Iraqi sovereignty. Sabah Al-Nu'man, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief, stated that the Prime Minister held official discussions at the US Department of Defense with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. They comprehensively reviewed the bilateral security and military relations. The discussions involved an agreement to develop support and cooperation in training and enhancing the capabilities of the armed forces across their various branches. This also encompassed technical, scientific, technological, and digital cooperation in security and military applications, equipment, and armament, while emphasizing sovereignty. Following these discussions, the Commander-in-Chief instructed a committee to liaise with the American side to determine the security and military relationship's form. This comes in light of preparations for the complete withdrawal of US forces operating within the international coalition to combat ISIS, scheduled to conclude on September 30. The directive stressed the relationship must support the Iraqi armed forces' full authority over all Iraqi territories, land and air, given their capability to protect the nation.