Iran Welcomes End of US Military Mission in Iraq
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has welcomed the completion of the US-led military mission in Iraq, describing the withdrawal as a possible first step toward a wider reduction of American military presence in the region.
The statement came after the United States and its coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. The Pentagon said the departure of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marked the end of the military mission against ISIS in Iraq.
IRGC Calls for Wider US Withdrawal
In a statement reported by Anadolu Agency, the IRGC described the US departure from Iraq as a result of what it called the will of the Iraqi people and actions by the Iraqi government.
The Iranian force urged Washington to leave the region and said countries in the region should manage their own security.
The IRGC also portrayed the withdrawal as an important development in efforts to reduce US military involvement across West Asia.
These statements represent the IRGC’s position and should not be interpreted as an independent assessment of the wider regional security situation.
US Ends Iraq Military Mission
The Pentagon confirmed that the United States and coalition partners had formally completed Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq.
According to US officials, the orderly departure from Erbil Air Base marked the conclusion of the 12-year campaign launched in 2014 to combat ISIS. The US military said the operation had defeated ISIS as an organised military threat in Iraq.
The withdrawal followed an agreement reached between Baghdad and Washington in September 2024 to end the coalition’s military mission in Iraq and move toward a bilateral security relationship.
Background of US Military Presence
The US-led coalition was established in 2014 after ISIS captured large areas of Iraq and Syria. Coalition forces provided Iraqi security forces with military assistance, training, intelligence and air support during operations against the group.
Iraq declared in December 2017 that its forces had regained control of territory previously held by ISIS.
The latest withdrawal marks the end of the US military mission in Iraq, although Washington and Baghdad have been moving toward a longer-term bilateral security relationship. US defence documents had previously described the transition as a shift toward bilateral security cooperation.
The United States first invaded Iraq in 2003 and withdrew its forces in 2011. American troops later returned in 2014 as part of the international campaign against ISIS.
