Davos: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced on Thursday that US forces are expected to maintain their presence in Iraq under the administration of President Donald Trump, as tensions in the Middle East persist. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Hussein asserted his belief that American troops will continue to be stationed in the region due to the evolving geopolitical challenges.

According to Anadolu Agency, the foreign minister emphasized that the current situation in the Middle East has significantly shifted since Trump's first term in office. Hussein noted, "The whole situation in the Middle East is different than the first, let's say, Trump administration. Now, we are dealing with different challenges, and so I have the feeling that they will be in the area."

Currently, approximately 2,500 US troops remain in Iraq as part of a global coalition formed in 2014 to combat the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group. In September, the US announced that the mission of the US-led coalition against ISIS would be concluding "over the next twelve months, and no later than the end of September 2025," transitioning to bilateral security partnerships to support Iraqi forces and keep up pressure on ISIS.

Hussein highlighted that Iraq's relationship with the US is structured around a strategic framework agreement, which forms the foundation for ongoing discussions and negotiations between the two countries. He stated, "Our relationship with the American administration is based on the strategical agreement which we have, and on the basis of that framework, we will continue our talks and negotiation with the American side on various fields."

Addressing the rising tensions between the US and Iran, which have a direct impact on Iraq, Hussein called for a diplomatic resolution, stressing that Iraq is particularly affected by these tensions. "The tension between Washington and Tehran affects us directly, not indirectly. In fact, that's why we are rather worried about the tension, and we hope that both sides will choose a different approach, and that's the approach of once again negotiating," Hussein remarked.

Hussein also mentioned that Iran appears open to dialogue with the US. However, he observed a lack of willingness from Washington to engage in negotiations with Tehran. He noted, "But until now, I don't see any signal from Washington that they are ready to negotiate with the Iranian side while the Iranians are giving that signal."

On Wednesday, Iraq expressed its hope for reaching a new nuclear agreement with the Trump administration. This comes after Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran during his first term, which led to the re-imposition of sanctions on Tehran.