U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Tuesday, July 14, that during his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, he emphasized the need to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Hegseth said Iraq must assert its sovereignty to strengthen this cooperation and disarm militias aligned with the Iranian regime, which he said were responsible for more than 600 attacks on U.S. forces this spring.
The U.S. defense secretary also said Washington expects Iraq’s security forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces of the Kurdistan Region, to take the leading role in operations against ISIS as the mission of the international coalition against the group is reduced.
He added that a stable Iraq could pave the way for expanded trade and defense cooperation between Baghdad and Washington.
Later the same day in Washington, al-Zaidi also met and held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
During the meeting with the Iraqi prime minister, Donald Trump said the Iranian regime had previously been a major burden on Iraq and the bully of the Middle East, but it has now become highly unstable and its power has diminished compared with a few months ago.
During the meeting with the Iraqi prime minister at the White House, he said they are getting rid of the bully of the Middle East.
