Top Iranian commander visited Iraq to discuss disarmament plan: Source

Lead

The commander of Iran's Quds Force made an unannounced visit to Baghdad this week to discuss the Iraqi government's plan to disarm armed groups and bring all weapons under state control, an Iraqi source within the Coordination Framework told Al Jazeera.

Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), held behind-the-scenes meetings with Iraqi political and security leaders and commanders of Shia paramilitaries on Monday, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Coverage Comparison

Al Jazeera reported that Qaani's visit came as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi faces a mounting political and security crisis ahead of a September 30 deadline to restrict all weapons to state control. The outlet noted that the government's push for a monopoly on arms is meeting fierce resistance from powerful factions.

A second Al Jazeera report framed the situation as an "existential moment" for Iraq's political future, citing expert opinions on the implications of armed factions remaining outside state control.

Key Claims

According to the source, Tehran sent a message via Qaani opposing the handing over of weapons by factions at the present time. The source said Iran believes a new round of war could break out and stressed the need for a political compromise rather than confrontation between the government and armed factions that refuse to hand over their weapons.

The source added that Iraqi political parties oppose the use of force to implement the government's plan.

Iraq's government plans to restrict all weapons to state control by September 30, part of a 2024 deal with the US-led coalition to end its combat presence by the end of September. Al-Zaidi discussed the disarmament push, as well as Baghdad's relationship with Tehran, during his visit to the US last month and his subsequent trip to Tehran.

While some armed groups, including Saraya al-Salam, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and Kataib al-Imam Ali, have agreed to integrate into the state's armed forces, Kataib Hezbollah, one of Iraq's most heavily armed factions, has explicitly rejected the government's mandate, pledging to retain what it calls "resistance weapons" and develop its arsenal.

Similarly, Harakat al-Nujaba has said the government's push to confiscate arms should target illegal weapons causing chaos, not those held by fighters who "defended Iraq, its holy sites, and its people during the most difficult circumstances."

The disarmament push is heavily driven by pressure from the United States amid the war on Iran, as well as economic challenges and the need to attract foreign investment. Oil revenues make up more than 90 percent of Iraq's state budget, but the closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent oil exports down to roughly 600,000 barrels per day in March, from 3.3 million bpd.

Talib Mohammed Karim, a professor of political thought at Mustansiriya University, told Al Jazeera that maintaining armed factions outside state control undermines the constitutional order, saying "When we talk about specific or defined factions … we will be facing a contradiction in confronting the state in its entirety and definition, meaning we need a new definition."