U.S. Forces Leave Iraq After 20 Years, Opening Door for Iran’s Influence

U.S. forces withdraw from Iraq after two decades, boosting Iran's regional influence and raising concerns over Islamic State resurgence.

Editorial Desk

September 30, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Baghdad, Iraq — U.S. military forces are set to leave their final bases in Iraq by September 30, 2026, marking the end of more than two decades of American military presence in the country.

The departure, which follows a 2024 agreement under President Joe Biden, has been welcomed by Iran and its allies as a strategic win, with analysts warning that it could allow Tehran and its affiliated militias greater influence over Iraq’s political and security landscape.

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Iran-backed groups have hailed the withdrawal as a victory for Iraqi sovereignty, while some Iraqi leaders express concern that the move may create a security vacuum, potentially allowing groups like Islamic State to regroup. The U.S. military presence in Iraq began in 2003 with the invasion of Saddam Hussein’s regime and was briefly reintroduced in 2014 to combat the Islamic State.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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