Istanbul
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi discussed security cooperation and the reactivation of military training programs with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a phone call on Wednesday.
The call came days after US President Donald Trump congratulated Zaidi on his nomination and invited him to visit Washington following the formation of Iraq’s next government.
According to a statement from Zaidi’s office, Hegseth congratulated the prime minister-designate on being tasked with forming a government, and discussed bilateral relations, particularly security cooperation within the framework of the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the US.
The agreement outlines the main provisions governing the temporary presence, activities, and withdrawal of US forces in Iraq.
Both sides “discussed bilateral relations between the two countries across various fields, particularly security cooperation, in accordance with the Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the United States,” the statement said.
The two sides also affirmed “the special nature of the relationship between the two countries and the importance of working to strengthen cooperation in the field of training in order to enhance the capabilities and efficiency of the Iraqi Armed Forces,” it added.
On Sept. 27, 2024, Baghdad and Washington announced a two-phase agreement to end the mission of the US-led international coalition against the ISIS/Daesh terror group inside Iraq.
The first phase was completed in January and included ending the coalition’s military mission, withdrawing troops, handing over bases, and transitioning to bilateral security partnerships aimed at supporting Iraqi forces and maintaining pressure on ISIS.
The second phase is set to continue until next September, during which coalition operations in Syria will continue from a platform in Iraq to be determined through the US-Iraq Higher Military Commission.
