The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding regarding the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
The plan, which has been broadly agreed upon, still requires final approval from both capitals and the setting of an announcement date.
It is expected that hundreds of troops will depart by September 2025, with the remaining forces leaving by the end of 2026.
A senior U.S. official stated, “We have an agreement; it’s now just a question of when to announce it.” Additionally, the U.S. and Iraq are looking to establish a new advisory relationship, which may allow for some U.S. troops to remain in Iraq following the drawdown.
An official announcement was initially planned for several weeks ago but was postponed due to regional escalations related to the conflict in Gaza and to finalize remaining details.
The sources include five U.S. officials, two officials from other coalition nations, and three Iraqi officials, all speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Several sources indicated that the deal could be announced this month.
Farhad Alaaldin, foreign affairs adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, confirmed that technical discussions with Washington regarding the coalition drawdown have concluded.