--- title: "US forces withdraw from Iraq after 20 years, Iran and allies see opportunity" description: "Most outlets reported the US troop withdrawal from Iraq and noted Iran's growing influence in the country. While Daily Times and Dawn led with the strategic implications for Iran, Aaj News (English) highlighted the continued US presence in Iraq’s oil revenue management. All three excerpts included the timing of the withdrawal and the death toll of American troops, but the framing of the US-Iran dynamic varied." url: https://harzaviya.com/stories/11308-us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening site: HarZaviya language: en --- # US forces withdraw from Iraq after 20 years, Iran and allies see opportunity world · updated 30 Sep 2026, 3:01 PM PKT · 29–30 Sep 2026 · 12 articles from 9 outlets over 2 developments ## How it developed Newest development first. Each carries its own coverage and, where we have one, our summary of it. ### 30 Sep 2026 — US forces withdraw from Iraq after 20 years, Iran and allies see opportunity (4 outlets) > Most outlets reported the US troop withdrawal from Iraq and noted Iran's growing influence in the country. While Daily Times and Dawn led with the strategic implications for Iran, Aaj News (English) highlighted the continued US presence in Iraq’s oil revenue management. All three excerpts included the timing of the withdrawal and the death toll of American troops, but the framing of the US-Iran dynamic varied. - **Aaj News (English)** — [US retains grip on Iraq’s oil money after troop pullout](https://english.aaj.tv/news/330474641/us-retains-grip-on-iraqs-oil-money-after-troop-pullout) · 30 Sep 2026, 3:01 PM PKT > US forces are set to withdraw on Wednesday from their last bases in Iraq, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, which have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Still, since its 2003 ​invasion of Iraq, the US has held effective control of the country’s oil revenue dollars, giving Washington extraordinary leverage over... - **Dawn** — [How the US controls Iraq's oil revenues](https://www.dawn.com/news/2033712/how-the-us-controls-iraqs-oil-revenues) · 30 Sep 2026, 11:29 AM PKT · 93% identical wording to the newest filing > US forces are set to withdraw on Wednesday from their last bases in Iraq, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, which have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Still, since its 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US has held effective control of the country’s oil revenue dollars, giving Washington extraordinary leverage over ... - **Dunya News** — [US forces exit Iraq, emboldening Iran's proxies and Islamic State](https://dunyanews.tv/en/World/975378-us-forces-exit-iraq-emboldening-irans-proxies-and-islamic-state) · 30 Sep 2026, 10:37 AM PKT · 70% identical wording to the newest filing > US forces withdraw from their remaining bases in Iraq, ending a decades-long military presence and raising concerns over security gaps, militia influence and a possible Islamic State resurgence. - **Daily Times** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://dailytimes.com.pk/1560419/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran/) · 30 Sep 2026, 3:40 AM PKT · 80% identical wording to the newest filing > US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal — agreed in 2024 […] ### 29 Sep 2026 — US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran (7 outlets) > Most outlets led with the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and its implications for Iranian influence, often quoting similar phrasing about the "opening for Iran" and the strategic benefit for Iran and its allies. Aaj News and Hum News English included brief details about the timeline and the historical context of the US military presence, while Business Recorder added the attribution "say experts." Express Tribune included a direct quote from an Iraqi Islamic Resistance commander calling the withdrawal a "historic victory," which was not echoed by other outlets. Geo News included a photo caption and a Reuters reference, but did not add further analysis. Pakistan Today repeated the headline as the body text without additional content. - **Dunya News** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades as agreed in 2024 under Joe Biden](https://dunyanews.tv/en/World/975334-us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-as-agreed-in-2024-under-joe-bide) · 30 Sep 2026, 2:51 AM PKT > Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal — agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried ‌out by the Trump administration despite the ongoing war against Iran — could give Tehran a free rein. - **Geo News** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://www.geo.tv/latest/684280-us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran) · 29 Sep 2026, 9:33 PM PKT · 68% identical wording to the newest filing > A US Army Bradley armoured vehicle of the 1st Cavalry division guards a street leading from the cemetery to Imam Ali's shrine, in Najaf, Iraq, August 27, 2004. — Reuters Iran to benefit strategically from coalition's departure, says analyst.Lack of US intelligence to help Daesh... - **Pakistan Today** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/09/29/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran) · 29 Sep 2026, 9:10 PM PKT · 76% identical wording to the newest filing - **Business Recorder** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran, say experts](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40441795/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran-say-experts) · 29 Sep 2026, 4:20 PM PKT · 84% identical wording to the newest filing > BAGHDAD: US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal — agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump’s administration even as it wag... - **Hum News English** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://humenglish.com/latest/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran/) · 29 Sep 2026, 11:41 AM PKT · 84% identical wording to the newest filing > BAGHDAD: US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal — agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wag... - **Aaj News (English)** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://english.aaj.tv/news/330474446/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran) · 29 Sep 2026, 11:39 AM PKT · 82% identical wording to the newest filing > US forces are set to leave their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending a military presence of more than two decades and raising concerns over Iran’s influence and security gaps that could be exploited by Islamic State. The withdrawal was agreed by Washington and Baghdad in 2024 and is being completed under President Donald Trump’s administration. Iran and its allied armed groups in Iraq have ... - **The Express Tribune** — [US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632045/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-for-iran) · 29 Sep 2026, 7:17 AM PKT · 74% identical wording to the newest filing > US withdrawal as 'a ​historic victory for the Iraqi Islamic resistance groups' says Iraqi Islamic Resistance commander ## Part of a bigger story Other stories whose coverage resembles this one, nearest first. "% related" compares whole stories, not single articles — see [what the percentages mean](https://harzaviya.com/methodology). - [Iran's Revolutionary Guards call US troop withdrawal from Iraq a historic victory](https://harzaviya.com/stories/11726-iran-guards-hail-us-withdrawal-from-iraq-as-historic-victory) · 1 Oct 2026 · 2 outlets · 77% related - [Iran reacts to US withdrawal from Iraq](https://harzaviya.com/stories/11795-iran-hails-expulsion-of-us-from-iraq-says-it-marks-beginning) · 1 Oct 2026 · 2 outlets · 75% related - [US-led coalition ends mission in Iraq after more than a decade](https://harzaviya.com/stories/11474-us-led-coalition-ends-mission-in-iraq) · 1 Oct 2026 · 7 outlets · 2 developments · 74% related - [Iraq announces end of US-led coalition mission](https://harzaviya.com/stories/11606-iraq-pm-hails-new-era-of-sovereignty-after-us-military) · 30 Sep 2026 · 2 outlets · 70% related 12 articles from 9 outlets, 29–30 Sep 2026. 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