Iraq sets deadline for factions to hand over weapons

The Iraqi Prime Minister's government has set a deadline for the armed factions to hand over their weapons to the state at the end of September, despite the passage of several weeks since the last announcement by an armed faction in Iraq that it accepted to limit weapons to the state, among a few announcements issued by a number of groups, out of the 69 armed factions that fall under the umbrella of the "Popular Mobilization Forces".

Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said in statements reported by the Iraqi News Agency (WAA) that "the end of next September will be the last date for the surrender of weapons," noting that the date coincides with "the time of the departure of the international coalition."

This statement was followed by a statement by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi issued after his meeting with the ambassadors of the European Union countries, in which he stressed that "limiting weapons to the hands of the state is not just a slogan, as it has been initiated, and we continue this policy, especially that next September 30 will witness the complete withdrawal of the coalition forces."

He added that his government is working to "make Iraq a meeting point and not a point of hostility", pointing to "the adoption of an open-door policy for international cooperation in various fields, including energy, industry and agriculture", calling for "economic partnership with all European companies, especially as the government moves forward to bring about a reform revolution and make amendments to the laws in order to develop the national economy and achieve development".

Many factions support Zaidi's plan

In recent weeks, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Imam Ali and Saraya al-Salam have announced their acceptance of the principle of limiting weapons to the state and disengaging its armed brigades and placing them at the disposal of the state, a step that has not yet been translated into practice on the ground, according to observers.

Other less present factions expressed their support through statements by their leaders and members, such as the loyal Ansar Allah and Jund al-Imam, while other groups announced their rejection of the move, most notably Kataib Hezbollah, led by Abu Hussein al-Hamdawi, and Harakat al-Nujaba, led by Akram al-Kaabi.

Iraqi official: We have not received quality weapons from the factions

An Iraqi military official said in statements yesterday that the government, represented by the Defense and Interior Ministries, has not yet received any qualitative weapons such as drones or long-range missiles, which are considered the focus of American and Western pressure on Iraq, due to their use in the recent war.

The Iraqi official revealed that the weapons deliveries included conventional weapons to the Peace Brigades, while Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Imam Alab handed over a disclosure to the Popular Mobilization Forces, pointing out  that the Iraqi government is facing "external pressures towards the factional weapons, which can be used outside the Iraqi borders and threaten countries in the region."

The Iraqi official spoke of the prime minister's  efforts to accept the withdrawal of some factions from areas they control, such as Jurf al-Sakhr, al-Awja and al-Oweisat, in order to bring them under the authority of the state, but stressed that some factions link their movements to decisions and directives with  an "ideological and political" dimension  in Iran, including al-Nujaba, Kataib Hizbullah, and Sayyid al-Shuhada.

Full withdrawal of US forces by September 2026

  The Iraqi government had  announced a joint plan with Washington that  the military presence of the international coalition forces in the country would end completely by September 30, noting that the withdrawal plan began in late 2025 by reducing the military presence and then completing the evacuation of the federal areas in January 2026, including the departure of advisers from the Ain al-Assad base and Baghdad airport, so that these sites would come under full Iraqi control.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's government linked the withdrawal to the arms control process, informing the armed factions that any weapons outside the state's control after September 30  would be subject to "strict legal treatment."

These developments come amid anticipation of Zaidi's visit to Washington, which is linked to the file of unfreezing cash payments for Iraqi oil revenues and suspended security aid, in a move seen as part of the rearrangement of the relationship between the two countries after the end of the coalition's mission.