Iraq announced on Monday that it will allow the United States to retain a contingent of military advisors and security personnel at several bases across the country, reversing an earlier agreement that would have seen all U.S. forces withdraw by September 2026.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told reporters in Baghdad that the decision was made after consultations with both Iraqi and American defense officials. “We have agreed to maintain a limited number of U.S. advisers to enhance our capabilities against terrorism, particularly given the IS resurgence in Syria,” al-Sudani said.
According to government sources, U.S. personnel will remain stationed at Baghdad International Airport, the Ain al-Assad Airbase in Anbar Province, and the Al-Harir Air Base in Iraqi Kurdistan. These locations will serve primarily as coordination and intelligence-sharing hubs rather than as active combat outposts.
The announcement marks a significant policy reversal from the agreement reached last year between Washington and Baghdad, which outlined a full U.S. withdrawal. That agreement had followed months of pressure from political blocs and paramilitary factions aligned with Iran, many of whom oppose the continued U.S. presence.
Last month, American troops had completed their withdrawal from all bases in Iraq’s federal provinces outside of Kurdistan in line with that plan. With the reversal likely to antagonize the opposition factions within the country.
An unnamed Iraqi defense official, speaking to American media, emphasized that the renewed arrangement was “temporary and tied directly to the Syrian threat,” adding that Iraq would “reassess once the situation stabilizes.”
The move is expected to face opposition from elements within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), some of which maintain close ties to Tehran and have previously launched rocket attacks on U.S. facilities. Those factions had agreed to suspend attacks last year after Baghdad committed to negotiating the terms of America’s departure, but Monday’s announcement may reignite tensions.
Critics of the decision argue that Washington seeks to maintain a foothold in Iraq to support Israel in the event of a future confrontation with Iran, while others contend that a limited advisory presence is necessary to ensure Iraq’s stability amid renewed regional volatility.