Image: UN Spokesperson X @UN_Spokesperson Secretary-General @antonioguterres met with Mr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, President of Iraq.
By Liam Scott | Staff Writer with Agencies
Baghdad – Iraqi President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid has declared his country “100% safe,” insisting that Iraq is ready to chart its own course as U.S. troops prepare for a long-anticipated withdrawal after more than two decades on the ground.
In an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Rashid praised Washington for its role in defeating ISIS but emphasized that Iraq has entered “a new phase” focused on infrastructure and economic growth.
“Americans have helped us in defeating terrorism, and I think Iraq is 100% safe and secure,” Rashid told Fox News Digital. “It’s a new phase in Iraq, really concentrating on improving the infrastructure.”
Shifting from War to Commerce
Rashid urged Americans who remember Iraq during the U.S.-led invasion and civil conflict to recognize how far the country has come. He invited U.S. companies and investors to help modernize Iraq’s energy, water, and trade sectors.
“Our relationship with the United States is long. We want to make a stronger relationship on trade, on investment, on energy, and water,” he said.
The shift comes at a politically sensitive moment. Under an agreement reached last year, the U.S.-led coalition was expected to begin its final drawdown this September, though the Pentagon has provided few details. The timetable is set to play a major role in Iraq’s parliamentary elections later this year, with many Iraqis demanding Washington keep its promise to depart.
Lingering Security Concerns
Despite Rashid’s optimism, U.S. officials and security analysts warn that ISIS remnants remain active in rural areas, while Iran-backed militias continue to fire rockets and drones at U.S. and Iraqi targets.
“ISIS is a shell of its former self — the Caliphate collapsed in 2019 and its strikes on Europe have ended since then,” said Will Walldorf, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities. “The remaining threat can be handled by the Iraqi government, along with the Kurdish Peshmerga and other regional states.”
Others, such as Behnam Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argue that a continued U.S. military presence is still an important deterrent.
Rashid, however, dismissed fears of Iranian domination, insisting that Iraq remains committed to independence. “We want to keep our independence, our decision-making in Iraq as the Iraqis, not to be influenced by outsiders,” he said.
Balancing Iran and the U.S.
While critics in Washington warn that Tehran exerts significant sway through militias and trade, Rashid portrayed Iran as a neighbor with whom Iraq maintains normal ties. “Iran and Iraq are two neighbors. We will not allow politicians from either the U.S. or Iran to impose on the Iraqi people,” he said.
Rashid highlighted a recent deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government to resume oil exports, hailing it as a “big deal” for Iraq’s stability. He also pointed to November’s parliamentary elections as evidence of democratic progress.
A Bridge in Regional Diplomacy
Positioning Iraq as a mediator in regional politics, Rashid cautiously welcomed moves toward Palestinian state recognition and praised efforts to ease tensions in Gaza. He also reiterated that “war doesn’t solve any problem. It makes the problem more complicated,” drawing a link between conflicts in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
As U.S. forces prepare their exit, Rashid is seeking to recast Iraq not as a battlefield but as a hub for commerce, diplomacy, and democratic resilience.
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