Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced that Iraq is seeking a swift and organized withdrawal of U.S.-led military forces from its territory through negotiations, but did not specify a deadline. He described the presence of these forces as destabilizing, given the regional repercussions of the Gaza war. In an interview with Reuters in Baghdad on Tuesday, al-Sudani stated, "There is a need to reorganize this relationship so that it does not become a target or justification for any party, whether internal or external, to disrupt stability in Iraq and the region." He added that "the withdrawal of those forces should be done through negotiations."
The long-standing calls for the departure of the U.S.-led coalition, primarily from Shiite factions—many of which are close to Iran—gained momentum following a series of U.S. strikes on Iran-affiliated factions that are also part of the official Iraqi security forces. These strikes came in response to numerous drone and missile attacks on U.S. forces since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip, raising concerns that Iraq could once again become a theater for regional conflict.
