Iraq Faces Political Crisis as Militias Refuse to Disarm Ahead of PM's US Visit

About a week before Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi's planned visit to Washington, factions linked to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced their refusal to surrender their weapons to the state. This declaration comes amid ongoing regional tensions and internal developments, including arrests of Iraqi parliament members on corruption charges and the government's commitment to disarm pro-Iranian militias.

Al-Zaidi is scheduled to lead a senior delegation to Washington on Monday for key meetings with US President Donald Trump and other American officials, focusing on economic and security cooperation. The Iraqi government has set the end of September as the deadline for militias to hand over their arms, aiming to centralize all weapons under official state institutions and security forces.

However, the militias, particularly those affiliated with Iran such as Kata'ib Hezbollah and the broader Islamic Resistance umbrella group, have openly rejected disarmament demands. Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, a senior commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah, emphasized their allegiance to the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and warned Iraqi political leaders to heed the resistance's demands or face consequences. The Islamic Resistance group reiterated its commitment to armed struggle, refusing to negotiate over their weapons and pledging to enhance their military capabilities.

Some factions, including Muqtada al-Sadr's Saraya al-Salam and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, have complied with disarmament requests, but the refusal by others complicates the government's efforts. Observers remain divided on whether disarmament is achievable without clear Iranian consent. Political analyst Nazar Haider suggested that secret understandings may lead to eventual full disarmament, with any unauthorized military activity outside state control to be treated as terrorism under Iraqi law, potentially punishable by death.

This standoff highlights the complex political and security challenges facing Al-Zaidi's administration as it navigates US pressure, Iranian influence, and internal demands for sovereignty and stability.