ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq and the US on Thursday signed an agreement to hand over the US Embassy’s Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport to the Iraqi government, as part of procedures paving the way for the US-led global coalition’s withdrawal by the end of September.

The agreement was signed by the Iraqi foreign ministry’s Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations Mohammed Hussein Bahr al-Uloom and the US Charge d’Affaires in Iraq Steven Fagin.

“This step is part of the Iraqi government’s efforts to finalize procedures regarding the conclusion of the International Coalition’s mission and the foreign military presence in Iraq,” the statement stressed.

The US-led coalition was brought to Iraq in 2014 at Baghdad’s invitation to help repel the Islamic State (ISIS) advance across the country. Under an agreement between Washington and Baghdad, the coalition is set to complete its withdrawal from all Iraqi territory by September 30.

The two sides affirmed that the agreement represents “a key step” in regulating relations between the two countries and establishing framework for a “new phase” of bilateral ties built on “expanding areas of convergence and joint action to serve the mutual interests.”

The Diplomatic Support Center was a diplomatic and logistics facility run by the US State Department and situated on the west side of Baghdad International Airport. It was previously part of the US’ Victory Base military installation, before being repurposed as a diplomatic support hub during the US troops’ withdrawal from Iraq in 2011.

The center, alongside other US interests in Iraq, was subject to drone attacks from Iran-aligned armed factions during the regional conflict that began in late February.

The new Iraqi government under Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has sought to disram non-state armed actors and restrict weapons to the state; a campaign heavily supported by Washington, as US interests and facilities in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have been repeatedly struck by these groups over the years.