US, GCC back Baghdad's bid to disarm armed factions
Shafaq News- Manama
The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Thursday endorsed the Iraqi government's efforts to place all weapons under state control while condemning attacks by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq targeting Gulf countries.
In a joint statement issued after the US-GCC ministerial meeting in Manama, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the ministers reaffirmed support for Baghdad's efforts to prevent armed groups from using Iraqi territory to threaten neighboring countries and urged Iraq to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions.
البيان الوزاري المشترك للاجتماع الوزاري بين مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية. https://t.co/giJcSHKzZA#مجلس_التعاون #الولايات_المتحدة_الأمريكية pic.twitter.com/H3HtFASfll
— مجلس التعاون (@GCCSG) June 25, 2026
Read more: How the US pushed Iraq's armed factions toward disarmament
The statement also welcomed the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, encouraged continued negotiations, and reiterated support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, preserving freedom of navigation, Lebanon's sovereignty, Syria's territorial integrity, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
During the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on Feb. 28, multiple Iraqi factions affiliated with the Islamic Resistance claimed dozens of operations against US positions inside Iraq and across several Gulf states, in addition to Jordan.
Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings
Earlier today, Rubio said Washington had received “positive signals” from Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi regarding Baghdad's weapons-control initiative and indicated the issue would be a priority during the Iraqi premier's upcoming visit to Washington.
Baghdad has already begun implementing the plan by transferring facilities and weapons belonging to Saraya Al-Salam, the armed wing of Muqtada Al-Sadr's Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM/Sadrist). Authorities have set the end of September as the deadline for integrating or disarming armed factions. While Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali have endorsed the process, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Al-Nujaba, the largest Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, have rejected the timetable, conditioning any disarmament on the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country, also scheduled for September under an agreement between the US-led Coalition and the Iraqi government.
Read more: Is Iraq closer to restricting weapons to the state?
