ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq may extend the presence of US forces in the country despite earlier commitments to their withdrawal, citing regional instability and new security concerns, officials and sources say.

The Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, had previously signaled a commitment to end the US military presence by an agreed-upon deadline. However, recent developments in neighboring Syria and broader geopolitical dynamics have prompted a reassessment, according to Iraqi officials and media reports.

The Washington Post quoted an unnamed Iraqi official who claimed “there has been a shift” in how senior Iraqi officials regard a potential withdrawal of the American forces “after recent developments in the region.” Iraqi authorities are also “more welcoming” to the US proposals to station reconnaissance assets near the country’s border with Syria, according to the source.

Sources familiar with ongoing deliberations told The New Region that informal talks have taken place among Iraqi political factions and government officials about extending US and the coalition’s military mandate.

“There is an undeclared Iraqi desire currently to extend the stay of US forces as well as the missions of the international coalition in Iraq during the next phase for two reasons,” a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The New Region.

“First, the fear of repeating the events of 2014 when ISIS [the Islamic State] overran large parts of Iraq, especially now that Syria is in the hand of armed groups. Second, the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House, who will have a tougher stance with Iraq regarding Iranian influence.”

Iraq and the US in September announced they had reached an agreement to wrap up the coalition’s military presence in the country by “no later than the end of September 2025” and transition to bilateral security partnerships “in a manner that supports Iraqi forces and maintains pressure on ISIS.”

The sources claimed that Iraq and the US have yet to finalize any formal agreement, adding that what has been discussed so far are preliminary negotiations which leave room for adjustments based on unfolding regional events.

Despite the shift in tone from some officials, Iraq’s ruling Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite political parties, remains steadfast in its opposition to a prolonged US presence.

“There is political and parliamentary consensus to end the US presence and the coalition’s mission,” Waad al-Qaddo, a Coordination Framework MP, told The New Region. “Iraq no longer needs such [foreign] forces, as Iraqi security forces are fully capable of confronting any foreign attack and addressing any challenges.”

Qaddo added that Sudani’s government has committed to ending the US presence and is under significant political and public pressure to uphold that pledge.

The US has approximately 2,400 military personnel deployed in Iraq. US forces were deployed to Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government in 2014 to fight ISIS militants, which had then overrun large swathes of Iraqi territory in the north and west of the country.