Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has set a new deadline of June 30, 2027, for armed groups to hand over their weapons to the state, as Baghdad seeks to assert control over militias following the official end of the US-led coalition’s mission in the country. The announcement came after the government moved back from an initial September 30 deadline amid ongoing discussions on how to manage the disarmament process.
Zaidi emphasized that October 1 marks a critical starting point for addressing the issue of weapons outside state control under a clear roadmap with agreed-upon timelines. He stressed that, in accordance with Iraq’s constitution, decisions regarding war and peace must be reserved for official authorities, effectively outlawing unauthorized military actions.
The US-led coalition formally concluded its mission on September 30, ending more than a decade of military presence that began to support Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State (IS) group. The withdrawal has prompted mixed reactions across the country, where numerous armed factions, many backed by Iran, have maintained significant military capabilities.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) hailed the end of the US presence as “a historic victory” and urged American forces to withdraw from the broader Middle East region. In an official statement disseminated by Iranian state media, the IRGC congratulated the Iraqi people, the Islamic Resistance factions, and revolutionary fighters across the Islamic world on this outcome.
Despite some militias relinquishing weapons, others linked to Tehran have rejected calls to disarm, declaring they are not bound by any timeline or government agreements. Jaafar al-Husseini, a military spokesman for the pro-Iran Kataeb Hezbollah faction, said the groups have engaged in talks with the Iraqi government on “regulating” their arsenal but have yet to receive definitive responses. He asserted that the so-called Islamic Resistance would not be constrained by any deadlines imposed by political authorities.
Many of these factions have stipulated conditions beyond troop withdrawals, demanding an end to what they consider American political and economic interference in Iraq. Kataeb Hezbollah described the coalition’s departure as a step toward full Iraqi sovereignty but simultaneously issued a warning to Zaidi’s administration, stating that a government failing to serve its people could be toppled “by all possible means.”
Pro-Iran armed groups have repeatedly targeted US forces in Iraq over the years with drones and missile attacks, prompting recurrent American retaliatory strikes that resulted in the deaths of several militia commanders. In recent months, amid escalating regional tensions, these factions intensified assaults particularly in the Kurdistan region, further complicating Iraq’s internal security environment.
As Iraq navigates this critical transition, the government faces the delicate task of integrating or neutralizing numerous militias while maintaining authority and stability amid competing national and regional interests.