President Biden is scheduled to host Iraqi leaders for talks this week following Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. US forces in Iraq are particularly credited with helping shoot down an Iranian missile that was attempting to attack Israel.
Monday’s meeting between Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani focused on regional stability and whether some of Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Israel on Saturday flew or the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. They are expected to discuss the possibility of maintaining the presence there. It was released from.
U.S. officials said the meeting is also expected to discuss economic, trade and energy issues.
U.S. leaders may also discuss future U.S. military deployments. “It’s not the main focus of the visit… but it will almost certainly be addressed,” one senior US official told The Associated Press.
US destroyed more than 80 drones and at least 6 ballistic missiles from Iran and Yemen
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani will chair negotiations between Iraq and the United States to end the international coalition mission in Baghdad on January 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, Pool)
U.S. Central Command said in a statement that U.S. European Command destroyers supported U.S. forces, engaging and destroying more than 80 one-way attack unmanned aircraft and at least six ballistic missiles.
This included the shooting down of at least one Iranian ballistic missile by a US Patriot battery in Erbil, Iraq, the Associated Press reported, citing US officials.
The White House originally announced al-Sudani’s visit to Washington last month.
Iran claims to have launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel after launching a drone
The White House said the two leaders would “discuss a range of issues” including the fight against Islamic State and “the ongoing financial reform of Iraq to foster economic development and progress toward Iraq’s fiscal independence and modernization.” It’s planned.
President Biden is scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani on Monday, April 15, as tensions rise across the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas war. (Miriam Alster/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
In January, the United States and Iraq began formal talks to end a regional coalition supporting the Iraqi government that was initially established to help fight ISIS. Approximately 2,000 U.S. troops remained in the country under an agreement with Baghdad.
In Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed groups brought al-Sudani to power in October 2022, and relations between the two countries are delicate, partly because Iran has considerable influence.
Anti-missile systems were activated after Iran launched a drone and missile toward Israel, seen from Ashkelon, Israel, April 14, 2024. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
President Biden (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 18, 2023. Biden has supported Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. (GPO/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
In recent months, the United States has urged Iraq to use its influence in Iran to prevent Hamas from attacking American military bases in Iraq and Syria, which escalated in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
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Iran’s attack on Israel further highlighted US concerns.
Al-Sudani will take power at the end of 2022. Since then, al-Sudani has sought to maintain a balance between Iran and the United States, despite being seen as close to Tehran.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
