To strengthen cooperation with the United States, Iraq must reinforce its sovereignty and disarm groups linked to Iran, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

“To deepen our partnership, Iraq must assert its sovereignty and disarm pro-Iranian groups responsible for more than 600 attacks on American personnel this spring,” Hegseth wrote on social media platform X after meeting at the Pentagon with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

According to the defense secretary, the United States is also counting on Iraq’s security forces and expects Baghdad to lead the fight against the terrorist group ISIS as Washington winds down its U.S.-led international Operation Inherent Resolve.

“A secure Iraq opens the door to durable commercial and defense cooperation,” Hegseth emphasized.