Iraq to rein in Iran-backed factions as Trump prepares for Mideast visit
Shafaq News/ As US President Donald Trump prepares to embark on a high-profile Middle East tour this week, reports from Iraq suggest renewed American pressure on Baghdad to dismantle Iran-backed armed factions—a move that may signal a recalibration of US strategy in the region.
Trump’s itinerary includes stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, where he is expected to push for deeper investment ties, enhanced security cooperation, and coordinated responses to ongoing regional crises.
A summit with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, with discussions likely to address Israeli airstrikes, instability in Lebanon, and post-conflict dynamics in Syria following the collapse of the Al-Assad regime.
Notably, the timing of the US President’s trip coincides with significant developments in Iraq, where several Iran-aligned groups are reportedly beginning to hand over weapons to the state.
Iraqi media outlets, citing security officials, indicate that these handovers are occurring under indirect pressure from Washington, and with what some describe as quiet consent from Tehran—a potential nod toward de-escalation.
The move is widely viewed as part of efforts by the Iraqi government to reassert sovereign control over all armed actors operating within its borders. These groups, many of them formally part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have long been seen by the US as maintaining independent command chains and ideological ties to Iran.
