US plans to cut off military aid to key Middle East ally, BBC told

Key Points:

• The Trump administration plans to cut off military aid to the Peshmerga, the Kurdish security force in Iraq's Kurdistan region, by not renewing an expiring security assistance agreement, according to multiple sources.
• Kurdish officials fear this funding cut will create a power vacuum, embolden Iran—which has increased missile and drone attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan—and undermine a key US ally that helped defeat ISIS.
• The memorandum of understanding between the Pentagon and the Kurdish Regional Government expires on September 30, coinciding with the withdrawal of remaining US troops from Iraq and the formal end of the international campaign against ISIS.
• Despite increased Iranian attacks, recent US discussions indicate no planned extension of security aid to the Peshmerga, although a final decision is still under review and some security support may be maintained post-withdrawal.
• The move reflects Trump's broader policy to reduce US foreign involvement in the Middle East, but critics warn it risks destabilizing the region and ceding influence to Iran, China, and Russia.