ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s state media republished the anti-terrorism law on Thursday, emphasizing strict penalties for armed groups operating in the country who refuse to disarm by the end of September as security forces elevate their combat readiness amid a looming ultimatum from Iran-aligned armed groups.
“According to the decisions issued during the State Administration Coalition meeting, which called for adherence to the timeline for steps to restrict weapons after September 30, 2026, any armed behavior outside the framework of the state following this date will be dealt with under the Anti-Terrorism Law,” the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
INA said the “measures aim to enforce the rule of law, enhance security and stability, and ensure that weapons are restricted solely to official institutions.”
In parallel, the country’s Security Media Cell announced that "under the directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, it has been decided to raise the level of security and combat readiness of the security and military forces.”
The cell added that the directive mandates training exercises and troop movements to maintain high combat readiness across all units, noting that these measures aim to solidify stability and protect public interests.
The ultimatum
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) emerged in the immediate aftermath of the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. The umbrella group overlaps at its core with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and includes Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.
The group has aligned itself with Tehran since late February, when the US and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran. While tensions between Washington and Tehran fluctuate, the IRI has continued to attack US interests in the region.
In late July, Saudi Arabia accused Iran-aligned militia groups of carrying out at least two attacks on its soil. In response, Riyadh, in coordination with Washington, struck PMF bases across Iraq, despite the IRI previously denying involvement in the attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The PMF reported that the US-Saudi strikes killed 20 people and injured 32 others across Baghdad, Kirkuk, Nineveh, Karbala, Diyala, Wasit, and Basra provinces. The incident marked the first wide-scale attack on the PMF since the US and Iran entered a negotiation period following the war that started in late February.
Following the strikes, the IRI reiterated in a statement last week that it had not carried out the attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that it will respond.
In the same statement, the IRI announced it is granting Iraqi government bodies that have called on the group to disarm "a deadline extending no later than the 23rd of the month of Safar (August 7), to see what actions they will take."
Of note, the IRI’s deadline coincides with the anniversary of the end of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War on August 8. Several of the group's leaders fought alongside Iranian forces during the conflict.
The deadline
The government's push for disarmament follows several drone attacks on regional countries since the start of the war between the US, Iran, and their respective allies, which were allegedly carried out by Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq.
Most notably, the UAE in mid-April handed the envoy at the Iraqi embassy a “strongly worded” letter of protest over what it described as “terrorist attacks” launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-aligned armed groups targeting facilities in Gulf Arab states. Abu Dhabi warned that the continuation of such attacks places ties with Baghdad “under highly sensitive strain.”
In his May ministerial program speech, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pledged to bring all weapons under state control. He later set a September 30 deadline for armed groups to disarm, coinciding with the scheduled withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
While most of the armed groups - operating under the PMF - have responded to Zaidi’s call, several Iran-aligned factions, including Kata'ib Hezbollah, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Harakat al-Nujaba, have refused to disarm.
