SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met with a high-level delegation from the United States in Baghdad on Tuesday.
The U.S. delegation led by White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk included U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul.
Kadhimi and the U.S. delegation discussed coordination and joint cooperation in varies fields, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
“Emphasis was placed on activating the outcomes of the strategic dialogue between Iraq and the United States, especially with regard to the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq,” Kadhimi’s office added.
Iraq and the United States held the third round of their strategic dialogue last month, in which the U.S. agreed to remove remaining combat forces deployed to fight Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq.
The talks, which began in June under the Trump administration, was the first under U.S. President Joe Biden, who assumed office in January.
According to the Pentagon, the number of U.S. troops in Iraq has dropped to about 2,500 over the past months.
Iraq also pledged to protect bases with U.S.-led forces, who Washing ton said were present “solely in support of Iraq’s effort in the fight against ISIS”.
Iraqi bases hosting U.S.-led Coalition troops have been attacked with rockets in the past months. The United States blames Shia paramilitary groups linked to Iran.
