In a statement issued on Thursday after the completion of the US military withdrawal from Iraq, the IRGC paid tribute to the resistance fighters martyred in the confrontation with US forces, particularly Lt. General Martyr Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and congratulated the Iraqi people and the Resistance Front on a historic victory.

The IRGC said the departure of US forces is the result of the Iraqi people’s perseverance in defending their independence, describing it as a major achievement for the Resistance Front. It said the Iraqi people have demonstrated that “national will is the strongest weapon against the ambitions of hegemonic powers.”

The statement characterized the US withdrawal as the result of Iraq’s firm determination and said Washington has been forced to retreat from a country where it had maintained a military presence for two decades.

“The US left; not through negotiations, not as a favor, but through the determination of a nation that stood firm, the blood of fighters who gave their lives, and the will of a resistance that was never broken,” the IRGC said.

It described the withdrawal as a first step toward avenging the martyrdom of Iraqi resistance fighters, particularly al-Muhandis, adding, “By God’s grace, the revenge for the blood of these dear ones will be completed with the full expulsion of the US from the region.”

The IRGC further called for the US to leave the region and for regional nations themselves to manage their security, arguing that two decades of US military presence have failed to bring security and have instead contributed to insecurity, terrorism and instability in West Asia.

The statement also described the US departure as a major historical development and a significant achievement for the Resistance Front, expressing confidence that Iraqis would eventually end US interference in their economy and oil sector through national unity and determination.

“The US has never been and will never be a reliable support,” the IRGC warned, adding, “The US is leaving, and it is the nations that must build their countries.”

The IRGC concluded that “the expulsion of the US from Iraq is the prelude to its expulsion from all of West Asia and the geography of the Muslim world,” attributing the development to Iraq’s national will, the efforts of resistance groups, popular support and the actions of the Iraqi government.

It also urged the Iraqi government, people and resistance forces to remain vigilant against possible plots aimed at creating renewed insecurity and instability, reiterating Iran’s support for the struggle to remove the remnants of US forces and the Zionist regime from the region.

The statement came after the US completed the withdrawal of its remaining forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base, formally ending its Iraq-based Operation Inherent Resolve mission. The Pentagon said the departure marked the conclusion of a 12-year campaign against Daesh (ISIL), while the mission has shifted to a US-Iraq bilateral defense relationship and the counter-ISIL operation in Syria continues from a new regional base.

The US military presence in Iraq dates back to the 2003 invasion, with Washington withdrawing its forces in 2011 before returning them in 2014 amid the rise of ISIL. The final withdrawal was carried out under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington, with Iraqi authorities now assuming primary responsibility for the country’s security.