Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Harakat Al-Nujaba*, one of the country’s most hardline Iran-backed factions, accused the United States on Tuesday of applying “double standards” to armed groups across the Middle East, arguing that Washington selectively pressures factions in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen while overlooking others in the region.

Speaking at a National Civil Dialogue Coordination Committee forum in Baghdad, Al-Nujaba political bureau member Haidar Al-Lami questioned why calls to bring weapons under state control had not extended to Syria despite the presence of numerous armed groups. He also accused Washington of ignoring “Saudi-backed groups in Yemen while focusing on Ansarallah,” adding, “The same policy applies to Lebanon and Iraq.”

Al-Lami maintained that the weapons issue extends beyond Iraq to the “Islamic Resistance” in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran. He nevertheless backed bringing arms under government authority if the measure applied to all groups operating outside official institutions nationwide.

Read more: Iraq's disarmament deadline pits Baghdad against Iran-aligned factions

While acknowledging that Iraq’s Constitution prohibits “militias,” Al-Lami estimated that more than 24 local and foreign armed groups operate in the country. He rejected imposing a deadline to settle the issue and pointed to the continued presence of US and Turkish forces as another security concern.

Other participants differed over Baghdad’s approach. Former judge Wael Abdul Latif cited several factions’ refusal to disarm and said that “ISIS no longer poses a significant threat” in western Iraq following the deployment of army and security forces, apart from limited activity in rugged areas of Kirkuk. Lawmaker Shurooq Al-Abayechi favored dialogue, warning that escalating rhetoric at home and abroad could carry serious consequences.

She also played down the Sep. 30 deadline for resolving the issue, which coincides with arrangements for the end of the Global Coalition’s military mission, arguing that “easing tensions should take precedence over a fixed timetable.”

Read more: Scoop: Iraqi Shiite leaders propose ‘weapons management’ compromise

Former Deputy Prime Minister Saleh Al-Mutlaq supported restricting arms to state institutions, contending, “The uncontrolled spread of weapons has harmed Iraqis and, in some cases, facilitated extortion.”

Participants also raised economic concerns, with Abdul Latif favoring annual budgets and Al-Mutlaq describing the economy as “fragile” and calling for greater emphasis on development.

Disagreements, particularly over the weapons issue, prevented participants from agreeing on a final statement or recommendations, prompting organizers to call for further talks.

* Harakat Al-Nujaba is led by Akram Al-Kaabi, a US-designated figure, and belongs to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose coalition of Iran-aligned factions focused on driving US forces out of the country. Unlike allied groups such as Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, whose Sadiqoun bloc holds 27 parliamentary seats, or Kataib Hezbollah, which runs the six-seat Hoqooq bloc, Al-Nujaba has no registered political wing or seats in the Council of Representatives.

Read more: What happens to Iraq's armed factions after September 30?