A historic agreement has been reached between Baghdad and Washington regarding the gradual withdrawal of the US-led international coalition forces from Iraq, set to begin in September 2025 and to be completed by the end of 2026.

Complex negotiations took place for over six months, focusing on the role and future of US forces in Iraq after the conclusion of the campaign against ISIS. The talks centered on transitioning the US role to a more advisory capacity.

Currently, there are 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq, and the agreement includes the withdrawal of hundreds of them over the next two years, with a limited number of American advisors remaining to provide security consultation to Iraq. This is part of a new bilateral relationship between the two countries, aimed at ensuring that the chaos seen in Iraq after the 2011 US withdrawal and the rise of ISIS is not repeated.

The negotiations between Baghdad and Washington were influenced by regional developments, particularly Israel’s war on Gaza and the involvement of Iranian-backed Iraqi armed factions in supporting Gaza. These factions also carried out attacks on US bases in Iraq in response to US support for Israel.

Several factions halted their attacks early this year as a “goodwill gesture” to avoid disrupting the negotiations. In return, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani aimed to bolster his position with these factions by working to end the foreign military presence in his country.

On the American side, Washington sought to maintain its advisory presence to safeguard its strategic interests in countering Iranian influence in Iraq.

The agreement is expected to ease tensions and reduce attacks on US forces, according to multiple analyses. However, Iraq’s future will depend on the Iraqi government’s ability to maintain political and security stability amid ongoing regional challenges. (LBC; File Photo: A troop member of the International Coalition shakes hands with an Iraqi soldier during a military training © CENTCOM)