Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella grouping of Iran-aligned Iraqi armed factions, declared on Wednesday that it is “not bound” by any government or political timetable or agreement for regulating its weapons, linking the process to the complete withdrawal of US, NATO and other foreign military forces from Iraq.

Spokesperson Jaafar al-Husseini said the factions have spent more than 40 days negotiating with the Iraqi government through a four-member committee formed by the Coordination Framework, Iraq’s main alliance of Shiite political forces. The talks center on regulating their weapons in exchange for what he described as Iraq achieving “full and comprehensive sovereignty.”

Al-Husseini defined that condition as ending all foreign military presence on Iraqi territory and in its airspace and waters, while asserting the factions’ “right to respond directly to any US or Zionist [Israeli] violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”

The factions, he added, had yet to receive the government’s response to an agreement document that he said was formally signed by the Coordination Framework committee and representatives of four armed groups.

“The resistance’s weapons will remain entrusted to our fighters,” al-Husseini stated, adding that they would remain directed against any party targeting Iraq and its people. He nevertheless expressed readiness for dialogue that would guarantee Iraq’s sovereignty and allow it to “break free from US hegemony.”

The declaration coincided with the end of the US-led Global Coalition’s military mission in Iraq. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the factions, described the completion of the US forces’ withdrawal as a “historic milestone” and called on Baghdad to pursue the removal of all foreign forces, while Ashab al-Kahf rejected surrendering its weapons and threatened attacks on foreign troops.

Baghdad had initially linked bringing armed factions’ weapons under state control to the Coalition mission’s September 30 end date. On September 22, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi instead introduced a phased process beginning with a 90-day pause in faction attacks in exchange for US forces refraining from strikes, followed by a weapons handover scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027.

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