US Envoy: Iraq at critical crossroads over unrestricted weapons
Shafaq News - Baghdad / Washington
Iraq risks sliding back into political paralysis unless it fully resolves the issue of weapons outside state authority and restores the stature of its official institutions, the US presidential envoy, Mark Savaya, warned on Saturday.
In a statement posted on X, Savaya urged Iraqi leaders to establish “the principle of the separation of powers, respecting constitutional frameworks, and preventing interference that could disrupt political decision-making or weaken the state's independence.”
“Strong nations are built when the executive, legislative, and judicial branches operate within their defined boundaries and are held accountable through clear legal mechanisms, not through pressure or influence centers.”
Today, the world views Iraq as a country capable of playing a larger and more influential role in the region, provided that the issue of weapons outside state control is fully resolved and the prestige of official institutions is protected. No economy can grow, and no… pic.twitter.com/5UWJ3kRvv7
— Mark Savaya (@Mark_Savaya) November 29, 2025
Iraq, he added, stands at a decisive moment: it can either advance toward independent institutions capable of enforcing the law and attracting investment, or “fall back into the cycle of complexity that has burdened everyone.”
Savaya called for firm political commitment, backed by concrete action, to keep weapons out of politics. Only then, he said, can Iraq present itself as a stable, credible state “that earns the world’s respect.”
