ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Tuesday directed the security and defense committee to prepare a draft law to confine weapons to the hands of the state, aiming to consolidate control over armed factions amid heightened regional military escalations and an upcoming US coalition withdrawal.
“His Excellency directed the preparation of a draft law to confine weapons strictly to the state, in accordance with constitutional frameworks,” published Zaidi’s office shortly after a meeting with the head of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Khaled Al-Obaidi, and the committee's members.
Zaidi cited uncontrolled weapons as “the greatest threat to the state,” as they “undermine the rule of law and weaken the prestige of security institutions,” according to the statement, which highlighted priorities to “maximize the capabilities of the military establishment to ensure internal stability” and preserve the “security and safety of Iraq and the resources of its people.”
The government's push for disarmament follows several drone attacks on Gulf countries and the Kurdistan Region allegedly carried out by Iranian-backed armed groups operating in Iraq since the start of the war between the US, Iran, and their respective allies.
The presence of armed factions coupled with weapons circulating outside state control constitute two of the most prominent security and political issues facing Baghdad ahead of the September 30 disarmament deadline, coinciding with US coalition’s scheduled pull-out.
Zaidi first pledged to bring all weapons under state control in a May ministerial speech following his appointment. 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.
Concordantly, Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee head Khaled al-Obeidi pledged the committee's support for government measures to strengthen state security and military institutions.
He highlighted efforts aimed at “enhancing the capabilities of the armed forces, protecting the borders, developing air defense systems, and raising the level of readiness to fortify Iraq's security and safeguard its sovereignty from the fallout of regional and international crises.”
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 Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), the coalition representing Iran-backed Shia militia factions operating outside official state command, previously denying involvement in the attacks on Saudi Arabia.
In what is considered the first wide-scale attack on the PMF since the US and Iran entered a negotiation period following the war in late February, the PMF reported an attack by US-Saudi strikes that killed 20 people and injured 32 others across Baghdad, Kirkuk, Nineveh, Karbala, Diyala, Wasit, and Basra provinces.
While the IRI reiterated in a statement late July that it had not carried out retaliatory attacks on Saudi Arabia, the group issued threats warning that it would respond.
