US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on Iraq to disarm Iran-backed armed groups, saying the move is necessary to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and deepen cooperation with Washington.
Writing on X following his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the Pentagon, Hegseth highlighted the importance of Baghdad asserting greater control over armed factions, Caliber.Az reports.
“I hosted Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi at the Pentagon today. To deepen our partnership, Iraq must assert its sovereignty and disarm the Iran-aligned militias responsible for 600+ attacks on U.S. personnel this spring,” he noted.
The Pentagon chief also said the United States expects Iraqi security forces, including Kurdish units, to play a key role in the fight against the militant group Islamic State (ISIS).
Earlier, US President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House. During the meeting, Trump said Washington no longer believes the deployment of US troops in Iraq is necessary.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
