Al-Nujaba rejects disarmament, reaffirms boycott of Iraqi politics
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq’s Harakat Al-Nujaba on Friday reaffirmed its refusal to give up what it calls “resistance weapons” and said it would remain outside the country’s formal political process, as Baghdad presses armed factions to bring weapons under state control.
Ali Al-Asadi, head of Al-Nujaba’s political council, said he had concluded meetings with senior leaders of the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework and told them the movement remained committed to preserving the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as a national institution.
He also defended the “sanctity” of “resistance weapons,” saying Al-Nujaba’s position had not changed amid “serious regional threats.”
— الشيخ علي الاسدي (@Ali_1AlAsadi) September 4, 2026
Al-Asadi separately reiterated the movement’s longstanding refusal to participate in elections or hold government and parliamentary positions, arguing that remaining outside the political system allowed it to stay closer to public concerns.
Read more: Tension meets dialogue as Iraq approaches September 30
Al-Nujaba has no registered political wing or seats in Iraq’s Council of Representatives, unlike several other Iran-aligned factions that participate in electoral politics. The group has maintained since its establishment that it will not formally participate in parliamentary politics.
The statement comes as Coordination Framework leaders hold talks with armed factions over bringing weapons under state authority ahead of Sept. 30, when the US-led Coalition’s current military mission is scheduled to end. Al-Nujaba has repeatedly argued that government efforts to restrict arms should not apply to what it calls “resistance weapons.”
Al-Nujaba secretary-general Akram Al-Kaabi escalated that position on Wednesday, warning that the group would confront US forces if Washington failed to complete its planned military withdrawal.
Baghdad and Washington agreed in 2024 to wind down the Coalition mission in phases. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi says Iraq should be free of foreign military forces from Oct. 1, while a senior US official previously told Shafaq News that the mission would be “reduced, not ended,” as the relationship shifts toward a longer-term bilateral security partnership.
