VOA Exclusive: Iraq Foreign Minister Says Deal Imminent on Withdrawal of US 'Fighting Forces'

WASHINGTON - A top Iraqi delegation in Washington is expected to reach an agreement with the Biden administration Friday on the withdrawal of American combat forces in Iraq, Fuad Hussein, the Iraqi foreign minister, told VOA.

Hussein, whom U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host on Friday, sat down with VOA Kurdish Service's Motabar Shirwani in an exclusive interview Thursday to discuss the nature of cooperation between his country and the U.S. forces after the agreement, particularly in the fight against the Islamic State group. According to a statement last week from the White House, President Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Monday to discuss a wide array of topics including cooperation on political, economic, security and cultural issues. The following are excerpts from the interview, which has been edited for brevity and clarity.