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// DOSSIER — irgc-hails-us-military-withdrawal-iraq
IRGC Hails US Military Withdrawal from Iraq as 'Historic Victory' for Resistance
REL_TIME: 02 Oct 2026 18:13Z · LANG: EN
On September 30, 2026, the US-led coalition formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, completing its military withdrawal from Erbil Air Base. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) celebrated the departure as a 'historic victory' for the Axis of Resistance and a prelude to the complete expulsion of US forces from West Asia. While the Pentagon framed the exit as a planned transition to bilateral security cooperation under a September 2024 agreement, Iranian state media expressed skepticism, questioning whether the US is merely shifting its military footprint to neighboring countries. Concurrently, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi set a June 30, 2027, deadline for domestic armed factions to disarm.
// Background
The US military presence in Iraq began with the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Although combat forces withdrew in 2011, they returned in 2014 to lead an international coalition against the rapid expansion of ISIS. In September 2024, Baghdad and Washington agreed to a phased timeline to conclude the coalition's military mission by September 2026, transitioning the relationship to bilateral security agreements.
// Key Developments
- The US military officially ended its 12-year Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, 2026, withdrawing remaining forces from Erbil Air Base.
- The IRGC issued a statement framing the withdrawal as a forced 'expulsion' and a historic triumph for the Iraqi people and the Islamic Resistance Front.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi established a June 30, 2027, deadline for armed groups to surrender their weapons to the state.
- Iranian state-affiliated outlets like Kayhan and Javan voiced skepticism, characterizing the withdrawal as a political rebranding rather than a total US exit from the region.
- The US military maintains its counter-ISIS headquarters in Jordan and continues operations in Syria, while transitioning to bilateral defense ties with Baghdad.
// Timeline
-
US forces invade Iraq, initiating a multi-decade military presence.
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US combat forces temporarily withdraw from Iraq.
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US-led coalition launches Operation Inherent Resolve to combat the rise of ISIS.
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Baghdad and Washington agree to a phased timeline to end the coalition's military mission by September 2026.
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US forces complete their orderly departure from Erbil Air Base, formally concluding Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq.
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The IRGC issues a statement hailing the withdrawal as a historic victory; Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi sets a deadline for armed factions to disarm.
// Perspectives
[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)]
Views the withdrawal as a historic victory achieved through armed resistance and national will, calling it the first step toward the complete expulsion of US forces from West Asia.
[US Department of Defense (Pentagon)]
Portrays the departure as the planned, orderly conclusion of a successful 12-year counter-ISIS campaign, transitioning to a bilateral security relationship with Iraq.
[Kayhan Newspaper (Iran)]
Skeptical of the withdrawal, arguing it represents a transformation of the US occupation rather than its end, with forces merely relocating to neighboring countries like Kuwait, Turkey, and Jordan.
[Iraqi Government]
Asserts national sovereignty following the coalition's exit and has set a strict deadline for domestic armed factions to disarm and hand over weapons to the state.
// Quotes
“The US left; not through negotiations, not as a favor, but through the determination of a nation that stood firm, the blood of fighters who gave their lives, and the will of a resistance that was never broken.”
“The 12-year campaign defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region.”
