Al-Zaidi said Iraq remained committed to building balanced relations with neighbouring countries and “not allowing Iraqi territory to be used to threaten their security.” He also reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to protecting its security, sovereignty and national interests while relying on dialogue to address regional and international issues. He said ending the coalition’s mission would give Iraq greater room to focus on reconstruction and development, promote economic growth and improve the welfare of its people. On 27 September, 2024, Washington and Baghdad announced in a joint statement that they had agreed on a two-phase plan to end the coalition’s mission in Iraq. READ: Saudi Arabia calls on Iraq to prevent its territory from being used for attacks