Iraq asserts commitment to security agreement with Iran

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has reaffirmed Baghdad’s commitment to its security agreement with Iran.

“We remain committed to the security agreement with Iran,” he said, speaking in an interview with the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television channel on Thursday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Iraq, during a trip to the Arab country in his first state visit, to fully implement the bilateral security agreement that is aimed at neutralizing the threat from foreign-backed anti-Iran terrorists operating in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Iran has repeatedly urged Baghdad to prevent armed groups from using the Iraqi territory to launch attacks on Iranian soil, and has itself taken prompt defensive action on occasions.

Foreign troops and security threats

On the issue of US-led foreign military presence in Iraq, Hussein affirmed that the timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq remained unchanged.

The remarks followed continued calls from Iraqi resistance groups and officials for a definitive exit plan for the United States forces, who have been mandated by the Iraqi parliament to leave the country’s soil together with other foreign troops.

Washington and Baghdad have reached an agreement outlining plans for the withdrawal of US-led forces.

As part of the arrangement, hundreds of US troops are expected to leave Iraq by September 2025, including those stationed at the Ain al-Asad Airbase in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar, and a large number from Baghdad.

A contingent of US and Washington-led forces, however, would remain in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, until the end of 2026 under the pretext of continuing so-called operations against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, although the outfit was defeated by Iraq and Syria and their allies, including Iran, back in 2017.

Syria and regional security concerns

Addressing developments in Syria, Hussein asserted that Iraq’s position on the new Syrian administration was independent of -- what the US and its allies have been trying to term as -- “Iranian influence.”

The Iraqi foreign minister further commented on the persistent threats of Israeli aggression, which has been markedly intensified against Syria, emphasizing Baghdad’s need to avoid military conflicts.

On American economic pressure

Addressing Washington’s stance on Iraq’s energy imports, Hussein confirmed that the US had urged Baghdad to halt its gas imports from Iran. Baghdad, however, continues to seek exemptions to sustain its energy needs.

He clarified that no new US sanctions had been imposed on Iraqi banks amid concerns over financial restrictions.

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