The Iraqi government has granted Britain control of the strategic Qayyarah airbase in a deal worth GBP500mn, marking a significant shift in Iraq's military partnerships, sources revealed on January 29.

The deal appears to be part of a broader realignment of international military presence in Iraq, with different coalition members being assigned specific roles: France overseeing radar systems, South Korea handling air defence systems, and the US maintaining control of air cover operations.

The agreement, signed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London earlier this month, reflects Iraq's apparent preference for British military presence over American forces.

Iraqi officials describe the British as "quieter and less provocative to neighbours" – particularly Iran, which maintains diplomatic relations with the UK through its embassy in Tehran.

The Qayyarah base, already vacated by US forces, holds strategic significance due to its proximity to key Iraqi cities, including Mosul, Erbil and Kirkuk, all within 100 kilometres.

According to military pilot Ahmad Al-Sharifi, the base's location could have implications for the potential revival of the historic Kirkuk-Haifa oil pipeline and provide oversight of the Kurdistan Patriotic Union's activities in Kirkuk.

Iraqi government sources noted their preference for British presence, citing "historical relationships" and describing Britain as "Iraq's state founding patron."

Military expert Adnan Al-Kanani noted that "the British were noble with Iraqis, unlike the negative experience with Americans."

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani signed a comprehensive partnership and cooperation agreement that encompasses trade, economic collaboration and strategic relations on January 14.

The Iraqi cabinet announced that the two leaders agreed on a trade package valued at GBP12.3bn (approximately $15bn) which exceeds ten times the total bilateral trade of the previous year.

A series of export credit agreements support the agreement between the two countries.

Key projects include a GBP5.3bn comprehensive water infrastructure programme to improve irrigation and clean water supply in southern and western Iraq, a GBP3.3bn water treatment project in Basra serving 3mn people, and a GBP1.2bn power grid interconnection between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

"This marks a new era in UK-Iraq cooperation, which will deliver mutual benefits from trade to defence," Starmer said at Downing Street, noting the package represents a ten-fold increase over last year's bilateral trade.

On security cooperation, both leaders signed a joint defence statement marking a decade since the Global Coalition's mission in Iraq. They also agreed to negotiate a specific migrant returns agreement and enhance border security collaboration.