Iraq’s Al-Maliki urges state monopoly on weapons

Shafaq News– Baghdad

Confining weapons to state institutions is required to build a strong and reinforce the rule of law, State of Law Coalition (SLC) leader Nouri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday, during a meeting with Joshua Harris, the Acting US Ambassador to Iraq.

According to a statement from Al-Maliki’s office, the SLC leader pointed to “Iraq’s desire to continue cooperation and build a strong partnership with the United States through the activation of the Strategic Framework Agreement,” the pact that governs the long-term US military and political presence in Iraq.

For his part, Harris expressed hope for expanding cooperation between Baghdad and Washington in a way that supports security and stability in Iraq and the region.

On December 3, the SLC member Zuhair Al-Jalabi told Shafaq News that if he returns to the premiership, Al-Maliki could negotiate the withdrawal of heavy weapons as he is the only one capable of taking this step, adding that the factions and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) trust him.

Last week, the US Embassy in Baghdad told Shafaq News that “Iran-backed militias undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten Americans and Iraqis, and pilfer Iraq's resources for the benefit of Iran.” The stance followed a US warning that incorporating these groups into the next government would hinder Washington-Baghdad relations.

The issue extends beyond security concerns, placing armed factions under growing pressure to reassess the scope of their activities outside state authority, amid warnings that continued possession of medium and heavy weapons could weaken internal stability, invite external pressure, and accelerate efforts to curtail their military role.

Read more: Tehran vs. Baghdad: Iraq’s armed factions face as trategic recalculation

Washington also framed the integration of Iraq’s armed factions into state institutions as a central pillar of its Iraq policy. US Special Envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya has publicly called for unifying all armed forces under central government authority and preventing any groups from operating outside state control. Analysts say Washington fears regional escalation could spill into Iraq, pushing the US to press Baghdad to integrate armed factions under state authority while using sanctions and diplomacy to enforce a state-centered security framework.

Read more: Integrating Iraq’s armed factions: The US vision and the risks ahead