After Jordan and Turkey, the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited today (13.12.2024) the Iraq with the aim of asking US partner countries about the developments in Syria after the overthrow of the Assad regime and the situation in the region.
Anthony Blinken arrived in Baghdad on a C-17 transport aircraft, under the helicopter escort and reaffirmed US commitment to security of Iraqat a time when Washington wants to further reduce Iran’s influence in the region.
The American Secretary of State seeks to coordinate a regional approach to Syria after the overthrow of the Assad regime and in Baghdad he met and talked with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed al-Sudani. Blinken’s visit to Iraq was not announced until after the US Secretary of State met with the Iraqi Prime Minister.
The helicopters that escorted Anthony Blinken to Baghdad/ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
At the end of the talks, Blinken reaffirmed the “commitment” of the US “to work with Iraq on security and to always work for Iraqi sovereigntyin order to ensure that the country is “strengthened and protected”.
The US Secretary of State also promised that Washington, which maintains about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syriawill work to prevent any strengthening and re-emergence of the Islamic State (IK). Iraqis and Syrians experienced the brutality of this jihadist organization, which ten years ago established a self-proclaimed caliphate in the region.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
Since last Sunday, and the fall of Assad, the Iraqi government demanded “respect” for the will of the Syrian people but also for the territorial integrity of Syria. Iraq chose not to allow Shiite militias to intervene in Syria as Sunni insurgents made their advance, capturing Damascus within days last weekend.
OR Baghdadwhose diplomatic mission in Damascus has already resumed its activities, he wishes above all to prevent the spread of unrest from Syria.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden had agree with it Iraq to terminate until September 2025 the military presence of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State. However, the Biden administration has not specified what will happen to US forces there, which are frequently attacked by armed Iraqi pro-Iranian Shiite groups.
With US President-elect Donald Trump taking office next month, it is unclear whether it will cancel the deal or change tactics in light of the historic regime change in Syria.
Iraq, led by a coalition of mainly Shiite political parties and armed groups close to Iran, is a major factor in, called by Iran, “Axis of Resistance”, which includes Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollahwhich they have weakened by Israel’s October 7 war at Gauze and then to Lebanon.