Iraq and US reaffirm commitment to security cooperation and regional stability

NEWSROOM – The Iraqi Defense Ministry and US Defense Department issued a joint statement on Wednesday reiterating their commitment to “security cooperation and shared interest in regional stability.” The statement followed two days of the US-Iraq Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue on July 22 and 23 in Washington, involving senior defense delegations led by Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The talks focused on a range of “bilateral security issues” within the framework of the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries.

Iraqi officials have stated their desire for the US-led global Coalition to Defeat ISIS to begin withdrawing from Iraq this September and end its mission by September 2025. They have expressed interest in renegotiating bilateral security deals with the U.S. and coalition member states. However, no official U.S. statement has confirmed an agreement to that end.

The joint statement released today only vaguely referenced working on a “memorandum of understanding to provide an enhanced framework for their bilateral security relationship in the years to come, including mechanisms to ensure the continued enduring defeat of the ISIS terrorist organization.”

It also added that “the delegations reached an understanding on the concept for a new phase of the bilateral security relationship, which includes cooperation through liaison officers, training, and traditional security cooperation programs,” the joint statement read.

Iraqi and US delegations agreed to continue consultations and develop Iraq’s “security and defense capabilities,” expressing a commitment to “deepening bilateral security cooperation” to ensure Iraq’s security and sovereignty. Additionally, they explored opportunities to “expand Iraqi participation in regional military exercises led by US Central Command” and enhance the Iraqi military’s relationships with US Central Command. The Pentagon pledged to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces in combating ISIS militants.

These talks are a continuation of previous negotiations, notably during Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington in April. Discussions began last summer, gaining urgency after a series of attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions on US troops in Iraq and Syria and subsequent US responses that killed several senior Iraqi militia leaders.

Iraq’s insistence on reducing the role of Western nations in its security and defense affairs comes amid a rise in Islamic State attacks across Iraq and neighboring Syria. In May and July, ISIS militants killed multiple Iraqi soldiers, including a battalion chief. Iraq continues to rely on US reconnaissance and other assistance in targeting ISIS remnants.