Translated by Beatrice Cherubini
There is no disagreement with the Baghdad government behind the decision by NATO’s European Command to end, at least temporarily, the Allies’ military presence in Iraq. Approval for the transfer of the expeditionary force to Europe and the relocation of the mission command to the Allied strategic center in Naples, focused on the southern front and operations in the Mediterranean, came following the numerous attacks Tehran launched against Baghdad’s Green Zone, seeking to strike the U.S. embassy, located a short distance from the NATO base.
The decision to repatriate the task force was also accelerated, perhaps above all, by the Iranian strike on the Italian base in Erbil, in the heart of Iraqi Kurdistan near the borders with Syria, Iran and Turkey, which was hit by a Tehran-launched missile on the evening of March 11. The base, established as part of an international operation against the jihadists of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), sustained only infrastructural damage, but the Iranian offensive, followed by further targeted attacks against the U.S. contingent in the following days, raised regional tensions beyond the level deemed "sustainable" by Alliance leaders. In light of developments, the decision is said to have followed a phone call between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who reportedly warned Alliance members against becoming actively involved in the ongoing conflict in order to avoid a more rapid escalation.
The suggestion was accepted by NATO leaders, leading to a “shift in the allies’ posture” in the Middle East, as stated by NATO spokesperson Allison Hart, who, however, did not provide further details for security reasons. The Alliance’s mission in Iraq, launched in 2018 with the aim of training Baghdad’s security forces engaged in counter-jihadist operations and providing them with advice and assistance to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State, will continue to operate remotely while maintaining “political dialogue and practical cooperation” with the Iraqi authorities, Hart said. These remarks were also echoed by the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, who expressed his gratitude to the Baghdad government for facilitating the "safe transfer" of NATO personnel present in the country, around 600 in total.
Sharp criticism came from across the Atlantic, where U.S. President Donald Trump reacted strongly to the news, railing against the allies for their opposition to direct involvement in operations against Tehran. In fact, on Truth Social, Trump stated that "without the United States, the Alliance is a paper tiger", adding that NATO forces "do not want to join the battle to stop a nuclear-armed Iran. Now that the battle has been won militarily, with very little risk for them, they complain about the high oil prices they have to pay, but do not want to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Cowards, we will remember this".
Mondo Internazionale APS - Riproduzione Riservata ® 2026