US State Department: Iraq has begun a new path under al-Zaidi’s leadership, and we aspire to a strong partnership.
US State Department: Iraq has begun a new path under al-Zaidi’s leadership, and we aspire to a strong partnership.
2026-09-01
Shafaq News – Washington
The US State Department confirmed on Tuesday that Iraq has begun a new path under the leadership of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, in full cooperation with the United States.
A State Department spokesman said, according to a statement from the department’s press office: “As President Trump made clear during his hosting of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his historic visit on July 14, the United States strongly supports his vision of ensuring a brighter future for all Iraqis, preventing attacks in or from Iraq, and building a strong and mutually beneficial U.S.-Iraqi partnership.”
In September 2024, Iraq and the United States agreed to end the military mission of the US-led international coalition against ISIS in Iraq, as part of a phased plan to move the security relationship between the two countries from the framework of the coalition to a bilateral partnership.
The first phase of the mission ended in September 2025, while forces remained in the Kurdistan Region to support operations against the organization in Syria, with the final phase to be completed by the end of September 2026.
The international coalition was formed in 2014 to assist Iraqi forces in confronting ISIS, which at the time controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria. The mission of the coalition forces later shifted primarily to training, advising, and intelligence support, while Baghdad asserts that its forces are now capable of assuming responsibility for security and pursuing the organization’s cells.
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