Source: Trump told al-Zaidi US will hit factions
Shafaq News- Baghdad
US President Donald Trump warned Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in a Nov. 5 phone call that Washington would strike Iraq's armed factions and their leaders if they join any renewed war in support of Iran, informed sources told Shafaq News on Saturday.
Trump also offered Baghdad full US support to press ahead with bringing all weapons under state control, the sources said, but warned that any new delay or backtracking would lead Washington to reassess its backing for al-Zaidi and his government.
Neither the White House nor al-Zaidi's office has disclosed details of the call.
The warning comes as Washington steps up its messages to Iraq's government and political forces on disarming the factions. Last week, political sources told Shafaq News that the US chargé d'affaires in Baghdad, Steven Fagin, had delivered direct messages to government and political figures stressing that Washington was closely watching progress.
Read more: Rubio’s “Balkanization” warning links Iraq’s armed factions to the country’s unity
Al-Zaidi has also become personally involved in the talks, holding one-on-one meetings with leaders of groups refusing to give up their weapons, a source familiar with the negotiations said earlier this week.
More than two months ago, the Coordination Framework, the alliance of Shiite parties that dominates Iraq's government, formed a three-member committee, later expanded to four, to negotiate with the factions and contain the fallout of the disarmament push.
Under the arrangement agreed with the government, the factions' weapons are to be regulated and brought under state control between September 2026 and June 2027. Some groups say this does not mean surrendering their arms. Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya said last week it had not handed over its weapons and would stay neutral unless Iraqi territory is used to attack Iran.
Read more: Asaib Ahl Al-Haq joins cabinet as hardliners reject disarmament deadline
