US signs deal to hand over diplomatic hub at Baghdad airport to Iraqi government

Iraq and the United States reached an agreement on Friday to transfer a diplomatic and logistics hub at Baghdad airport to the Iraqi government, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. This move is part of the preparations for the full withdrawal of American forces from Iraq, which is set to occur by September 30. US Deputy Charge d’affaires Steven Fagin and Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al Uloom announced the deal during a ceremony at Baghdad's Foreign Ministry.

The agreement comes shortly before the remaining US-led coalition troops withdraw by the end of September, leaving Erbil airport as the only location where coalition forces are present. Bahr Al Uloom emphasized that the handover is crucial in transitioning to a new phase of cooperation and partnership in various areas of mutual interest.

Fagin stated that the US's support for Iraq is grounded in the joint agreements and understandings reached between the two nations, ensuring their sovereignty and fostering joint cooperation in the future. Tensions between Iraq and the US escalated this year due to the US-Iran war, leading to repeated drone and rocket attacks on the airport facility.

Iran-backed armed groups have frequently targeted US facilities and coalition forces in Iraq, calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops. The US-led coalition entered Iraq in 2014 at the invitation of the Iraqi government to combat ISIS, which was advancing across the country and into neighboring Syria. The Diplomatic Support Centre, a diplomatic and logistics facility situated on the airport's west side, was previously part of the US Victory Base military installation before being repurposed during the US troop withdrawal in 2011.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi confirmed that September 30 is a firm deadline for the US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq and the completion of troop withdrawal. He also pledged to strengthen the state's monopoly on arms and ensure the disarmament of armed factions, with the process expected to be completed by June. By removing the coalition's presence on September 30, Al Zaidi believes it will eliminate a key justification for militias to retain their weapons.

He described the day after October 1 as a new phase for Iraq, marking a period when the country will be free of foreign military presence.