Muqtada Al-Sadr conditions disarmament on nationwide Iraqi decision
Shafaq News – Baghdad
A senior figure in Iraq’s Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM), led by Muqtada Al-Sadr, said on Saturday that the group’s relinquishment of weapons depends on a comprehensive Iraqi decision accompanied by guarantees preventing the reemergence of arms outside state control, as debates intensify over disarmament among armed factions.
The official, who spoke to Shafaq News on condition of anonymity, revealed that recent announcements by some factions agreeing to limit weapons to the state are “a delayed but positive step that aligns with long-standing the PSM demands.”
He said leader Al-Sadr was among the first to call for restricting arms to the state following the October 2019 protest movement, describing the issue as a prerequisite for building a strong state with an independent sovereign decision.
According to the official, the weapons file became one of the deepest points of contention between the PSM and the Shiite Coordination Framework after the 2021 elections, as Al-Sadr insisted on incorporating disarmament into his political project. That dispute, he said, later contributed to political deadlock and the movement’s withdrawal from the political process in 2022.
“Any Sadrist announcement on disarmament remains tied to an official, nationwide Iraqi decision rather than selective initiatives, and to concrete guarantees that prevent the reproduction of weapons outside the state and reinforce its exclusive authority over force.”
Read more: Why Iraq’s PMF disarmament is a different battle from Lebanon’s Hezbollah
Over the past 24 hours, several armed factions have declared their approval of calls to confine weapons to the state. Statements were issued by Shibl al-Zaidi, secretary-general of Kataib Imam Ali, followed by similar positions from Qais Al-Khazali, secretary-general of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, as well as from Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.
However, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Al-Nujabaa rejected disarmament, arguing that restoring sovereignty, securing Iraq, and preventing foreign interference must precede any discussion of limiting weapons to the state.
The United States has increased pressure on the Iraqi government in recent months to dismantle armed factions and bring all weapons under state authority, while also calling for factions not to participate in forming a new government, particularly after securing a large number of parliamentary seats.
Read more: Diverging views emerge on disarming Armed Factions in the Middle East
