Iraq, US discuss prospects to strengthen joint cooperation

Iraqi Minister of Defense Nayef al-Shammari and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad Steven Fagin during their meeting in Baghdad. Photo: INA Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Minister of Defense Nayef al-Shammari and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad Steven Fagin discussed approaches to strengthen cooperation between Baghdad and Washington on Sunday. During their meeting in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the two sides discussed bilateral ties and strategies to enhance cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement cited by the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA). The meeting took place after the US-led international coalition formally completed its full withdrawal and ended Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq on September 30, 2026. Operation Inherent Resolve—the multinational military campaign formed in 2014 to fight ISIS—officially wrapped up after a 12-year presence. The end of the combat mission shifts the relationship to a bilateral framework focused on non-combat intelligence sharing, targeted training, and security cooperation rather than active foreign military bases. Iraqi security forces have assumed full operational control, and the government has set goals to bring remaining armed factions under state regulation.