US military forces are preparing to leave their bases in Iraq on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, ending the country’s formal military operations under an agreement reached in 2024 during the administration of US President Joe Biden. At the same time, Washington intends to retain intelligence, reconnaissance and other capabilities in the region that can be used inside Iraq if needed.
A US Defence Department official said the military had airlifted equipment and personnel from Erbil before the withdrawal deadline. Another US official said about 1,500 US personnel and members of the coalition against Islamic State had been in Iraq collectively, before the forces consolidated their ranks and left in preparation for 30 September.
According to a US official who spoke to The Wall Street Journal, Washington told Iraqi authorities that preserving the country’s sovereignty and preventing Iran-backed armed groups from launching attacks from Iraqi territory were important. A Pentagon official said the end of formal military operations would not mean abandoning capabilities that allow the United States to gather intelligence and conduct reconnaissance missions in the region.
Personnel to protect diplomatic missions
Current and former US officials said a number of US Marines would remain in Iraq to protect their country’s diplomatic missions. The US military has also already withdrawn a Patriot air-defence missile battery stationed around Erbil.
The officials said the United States was likely to focus its remaining air-defence systems on protecting the US embassy in Baghdad and the US consulate in Erbil. The arrangement reflects the distinction between ending the formal military mission and continuing security measures linked to protecting diplomatic facilities and missions.
Repositioning remaining forces in Jordan
As part of the redistribution of forces, US officials told The Washington Post that the remaining troops would reposition to Jordan, where the headquarters of the ongoing mission against Islamic State militants is located. An official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Pentagon believed that basing the forces in Jordan would allow them to target militants who posed a threat to US personnel and interests.
The US forces repositioned to Jordan will focus on Islamic State activity. Explaining the potential limits of intervention, the US official said: "If the group expands to become something beyond Iraq and Syria’s control, and they want our help, we will go in and help them." The withdrawal comes amid Iraqi discussions over disarming Iran-backed groups, after the process had been expected to coincide with the departure of US forces on 30 September.
Deadline for disarming Iraqi factions extended
However, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi said the timetable for disarmament had been extended until June 2027. The Iraqi army spokesman was quoted as saying that some armed factions had handed over their weapons, while others were planning to take the same step.
In a related development, an official cited by The Washington Post said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had focused its resources inside Iraq on smaller cells operating outside the networks of major armed groups, in order to avoid detection and deterrence. A senior official in the Iraqi prime minister’s office also said the Revolutionary Guard had recently expanded its paramilitary operations in Iraq, which could create additional challenges for Baghdad.
Iranian position on US withdrawal
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had commented on the US withdrawal during a diplomatic visit to Baghdad last month. His visit included the site where Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US strike in 2020.
At a press conference, Ghalibaf said, referring to Iran’s political and military groups across the border: "The resistance front is now victorious." The withdrawal concludes the Biden administration’s 2024 agreement aimed at ending the US military presence in Iraq by 2026, more than two decades after the 2003 US invasion.
