With US troops departing, Iraq looks beyond balancing Washington and Tehran

With US troops departing, Iraq looks beyond balancing Washington and Tehran Submitted by Zahra Ladha on Tue, 07/28/2026 - 09:12 Strengthening institutions, banking reforms and the prospect of a US-Iran agreement could give Baghdad greater strategic autonomy Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian walks alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, 23 July 2026 (Iranian Presidency/AFP) Off For several years, officials in Baghdad have maintained a careful balancing act – taking some m