Iran's Quds Force Opposes Iraqi Plan to Disarm Militias

Commander of the Quds Force Esmail Qaani conducted an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Monday to meet with Iraqi political and security leaders. The visit centered on a plan by the Iraqi government to disarm Shia paramilitaries and restrict all weapons to state control by a September 30 deadline.

During the meetings, Qaani delivered a message from Tehran stating that armed factions should not hand over weapons at this time. He cited the possibility of a new round of war and urged a political compromise over confrontation. This intervention comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directs parliament to draft a law restricting weapons to the state, warning that unregulated arms threaten security institutions.

While some groups have agreed to integrate into state forces, factions including Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba remain defiant. The tension follows joint attacks conducted by the United States and Saudi Arabia on July 28 against Iran-aligned targets in Iraq. Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Hikma Movement, continues efforts to persuade these factions to comply with the state's disarmament goals.