Washington asserts role as Iraq’s key security partner after Russian envoy’s visit

Shafaq News – Washington

The United States has stopped short of threatening sanctions on Iraq after Baghdad pursued closer military ties with Moscow, while emphasizing that Washington should remain Iraq’s “preferred partner.”

In a response to Shafaq News, a State Department spokesperson said on Thursday that Washington would not “prejudge” any decision on possible measures following the visit of Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu to Baghdad for talks on expanding “military-technical cooperation.”

Shoigu’s trip — one of the most senior Russian visits to Iraq in years — comes as Moscow faces sweeping Western sanctions over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Observers note that any move by Baghdad to deepen defense ties with Russia could draw scrutiny under the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

When asked whether such cooperation might weaken Iraq’s partnership with Washington, the spokesperson underscored that US forces provide Iraqi partners with “superior technology and extensive expertise,” insisting the United States should remain their primary ally.

Washington is committed to supporting Iraqis working to build a stable, federal and sovereign state “free from terrorism,” the spokesperson added, while declining to say whether the US had formally raised concerns with Baghdad over the Russian overture.

The comments come as Washington prepares to wind down its Global Coalition mission in Iraq and transition to a bilateral security framework.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington D.C.

Read more: After US withdrawal: Why experts warn of an ISIS resurgence in Iraq.