Iran poised to exploit security vacuum as US leaves Iraq

The end of the US military mission in Iraq has created a dangerous security vacuum for the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Politicians in Baghdad celebrated the withdrawal , with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi officially declaring October 1 a "Day of Sovereignty and Independence." Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Iranian-backed Shiite militias also cheered the move. But in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region, the mood is markedly more anxious. Having relied on Washington's protection for two decades, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) now faces intertwined crises, including mounting pressure from Baghdad to centralize power and escalating military threats from its neighbors, most notably Iran.