ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz said Wednesday that Washington will ensure attacks from Iran cease and that all parties are properly defended, adding that the US will continue working with Erbil and Baghdad toward that goal. “We'll continue to work with both the Kurds and Baghdad to make sure that the attacks from Iran cease and that everyone is appropriately defended,” Waltz told Rudaw’s Namo Abdulla on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, adding that “our relationship with the Kurds is rock solid. No one should be concerned.” The remarks come ahead of the September 30 deadline for the US-led coalition to end its military mission in Iraq, concluding Operation Inherent Resolve, established to combat the Islamic State (ISIS), and transitioning toward a different security framework between Washington and Baghdad. For the Kurdistan Region, the withdrawal comes amid security concerns following over 1,000 one-way drone and missile attacks targeting the region from Iran and Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, following the start of the US-Iran war in late February. “We had a fantastic, a fantastic meeting with Secretary Rubio and the [Iraqi] Prime Minister,” Waltz stated, adding that he is the "most optimistic" he has been in a long time about Iraq's future. Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged continued American backing to Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, stating, "We'll do everything we can to help him succeed." Despite a surprise 72-hour pullout and US redeployment of its Patriot air defense systems from its base inside Erbil airport in late July that rattled Kurdish officials in the Kurdistan Region, US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins assured on Saturday that Washington's commitment to regional security would continue in light of looming uncertainties. Hawkins likewise lauded Kurds as a “strong partner for [many] years” and underscored the US military’s commitment to regional security, affirming that its forces “will not hesitate to confront any threat that emerges” and citing ongoing efforts to strengthen existing partnerships and air defenses “shoulder to shoulder” with regional partners. RELATED: US security commitment to Kurdistan to continue after September 30: CENTCOM
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