Iraq Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani spoke by phone with the newly elected US President Donald Trump and expressed to him the hope that the Republican will keep his campaign promises to end wars in the world, especially in the Middle East, France reported pres.
Raised to power by pro-Iranian parties, the government of Iraq is trying to take the position of moderator in the region, where there is now a potentially explosive situation, BTA clarifies. Iran's proxies are in conflict with Israeli forces in Gaza and Lebanon.
During As Sudani's conversation with Trump, the two leaders pledged to coordinate their actions to end wars in the Middle East, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office.
There are about 2,500 US troops in Iraq as part of a multinational force led by Washington against Islamic State jihadists. These soldiers have been the target of rocket attacks by Iraqi pro-Iranian groups, which have also claimed responsibility for attacks on Israel.
Baghdad is negotiating with Washington to withdraw the anti-jihadist coalition from Iraq. The plan calls for a phased withdrawal of coalition personnel, with the first phase taking place by September 2025. By then, the military must have left Iraqi territory, minus the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region, from which they must leave by September 2026.
During Trump's first presidential term, on his orders, an American drone killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, architect of Iran's strategy in the Middle East and head of the "Quds" force, in 2020 near Baghdad airport. for external operations to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The attack also killed Abu Mehdi al-Muhanadis, a former number two figure in the coalition of pro-Iranian groups fighting the "Islamic State" and subsequently integrated into regular Iraqi forces.
Relations between Baghdad and Washington deteriorated significantly after this attack. As part of its investigation into the murder of Al Muhannadis, Iraqi justice issued an arrest warrant for Trump in January 2021.