Iraqi Prime Minister Faces Defiance Over Arms Control Deadline

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is navigating a security and political crisis as a September 30 deadline approaches to restrict all weapons to state control. While some groups like Saraya al-Salam and Asaib Ahl al-Haq have agreed to integrate into state forces, other powerful Shia paramilitaries are defying the mandate. Kataib Hezbollah has explicitly rejected the order, with Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi declaring the group will not surrender its weapons. Harakat al-Nujaba has also opposed the move, arguing the government should target illegal weapons rather than those held by fighters who defended the country.

The disarmament push is driven by pressure from the United States amid a war with Iran and a need to attract foreign investment. This effort coincides with an expanded anti-corruption drive that has strained al-Zaidi's relationship with the Shi'ite Coordination Framework, as some members fear judicial investigations may target their associates.

These tensions are compounded by a deepening financial crisis that has disrupted salary payments for pensioners and state employees. The crisis stems in part from a sharp decline in oil revenues caused by unrest and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. To address these challenges, al-Zaidi convened the State Administration Coalition to discuss the financial instability and security developments ahead of the September deadline for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.