BAGHDAD — Al-Araji emphasized that the decision of war and peace is exclusively in the hands of the Iraqi state. He claimed that the weapons of the factions will become a force for the state and will not be handed over to any external party.

The national security advisor stated that all political forces agree that weapons should be controlled exclusively by the state. He added that the government was serious about severing ties between political parties and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) brigades.

Al-Araji stated that ongoing dialogues to complete the disengagement process were producing positive results as Baghdad seeks to strengthen trust. These statements come as Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed the security and defense committee to prepare a draft law to confine weapons to the hands of the state.

Kata'ib Hezbollah issued a statement on August 20, 2026, demanding the departure of Turkish troops from northern Iraq and the dissolution of the Peshmerga forces as preconditions to complying with the government’s disarmament mandate. The US designated Kata'ib Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kata'ib Imam Ali as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

Esmail Qaani, head of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force, recently visited Baghdad. Al-Araji is Iraq’s prime minister-designate as of May 14, 2026.

Why It Matters

The consolidation of weapons under state control represents a shift in Iraq’s internal security architecture following the departure of the international coalition. By asserting that the decision of war and peace rests exclusively with the state, the government aims to eliminate parallel military structures that have operated with varying degrees of autonomy.

The requirement for armed factions to comply with the disarmament mandate has encountered specific geopolitical conditions from groups such as Kata'ib Hezbollah. The interplay between domestic disarmament efforts and regional military presence, including Turkish troops and Peshmerga forces, reflects the complex security environment in which these policies are being implemented.

Timeline

Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya was designated as terrorists by the United States Department of State on June 17, 2024. On April 9, 2025, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations established an exemption for defense trade and cooperation among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ali al-Zaidi became Iraq’s prime minister-designate on May 14, 2026.

On August 24, 2026, Qasim al-Araji stated that the process of restricting weapons to the state will begin gradually after September 30. Also on August 24, 2026, Iraq’s national security advisor stated that Iraq will begin gradually consolidating weapons held by armed factions under state control after the international coalition’s scheduled departure on September 30. On the same day, Qasim al-Araji stated that the decision of war and peace is exclusively in the hands of the Iraqi state.