Blinken urges calm in call with Iraq's PM as US-Led Coalition plans mission transition

Shafaq News/ On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to discuss the latest developments in the region.

Based on the US Department of State statement, the Secretary emphasized “the importance of all parties taking steps to calm regional tensions, avoid further escalation, and advance stability.”

This comes amid regional tension, with Iran and Hezbollah poised to launch a dual attack on Israel, in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut.

Moreover, Blinken underscored “US commitment to the Higher Military Commission process to determine how and when the D-ISIS Coalition’s military mission in Iraq will transition and the importance of force protection,” the statement added.

“We work toward that transition.”

He further affirmed, “We remain committed to the US-Iraq 360-degree relationship to build economic opportunities and prosperity for all Iraqis,” it concluded.

Notably, the US has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq as part of the International Coalition against ISIS. Iraq has requested that the US-led coalition begin withdrawing troops in September, to formally end the coalition's mission by September 2025.