Iraq
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani speaks at a conference in Baghdad on February 22, 2025. Photo: Prime Minister's office
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday confirmed an agreed end to the mission of the United States-led Global Coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) and emphasized a shift toward bilateral relations with coalition member states.
“Through responsible dialogue, we have completed the mission of the Global Coalition Against Daesh,” Sudani said, using an Arabic term for ISIS.
He said that Iraq has transitioned to a framework of “bilateral relations and security coordination” with individual coalition members and is navigating a carefully calibrated path to insulate itself from “the repercussions of decisions that disregard our national interests.”
After the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria, there were reports that Baghdad may ask US troops to stay in the country past the agreed upon deadline of September 2025.
Sudani made his remarks during a speech at the Baghdad International Dialogue Conference, a two-day event that began today under the theme “Communication for Development and Regional Stability.” The conference was attended by key figures, including Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Mohamed El Hassan, acting head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
The prime minister highlighted Iraq’s role in regional diplomacy, noting Baghdad’s efforts in facilitating the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Additionally, he reiterated Iraq’s commitment to the Development Road, a major railway and highway network designed to link the Persian Gulf to Europe via Turkey. He described the project as “an economic pillar for strengthening regional stability” and “a catalyst for fostering exchange between nations across multiple areas.”
The US-led Global Coalition Against ISIS was established in 2014 to support Iraq in its fight against the terrorist group, providing military assistance, intelligence sharing, and training for Iraqi forces. While the territorial defeat of ISIS was declared in 2017, coalition forces have remained in Iraq at Baghdad’s request to assist in counterterrorism operations.
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