Washington rejects Iraqi PM's condition on disarming factions

Shafaq News – Washington

The US State Department on Wednesday dismissed Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s recent attempt to link the disarmament of armed factions to the future of the US-led Global Coalition in Iraq, urging Baghdad instead to dismantle the “Iran-backed militias.”

Speaking to Shafaq News, the Department’s spokesperson said that addressing “terrorist organizations,” remains an Iraqi sovereign responsibility, stressing that these groups engage in “violent and destabilizing activities in Iraq.”

“Their actions drain the country’s resources and act against its national interests,” the spokesperson added.

Iraq officially recognizes both the national army and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). While the PMF is legally part of the state’s armed forces, many of its key factions operate under the banner of the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq.” The group is aligned with Iran’s regional “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, and positions itself against US and Israeli interests in the region.

Addressing the future of US forces in Iraq, the spokesperson clarified that Washington is proceeding according to an agreed timeline to transition the Global Coalition’s role and conclude its combat operations.

“This is not a withdrawal,” the spokesperson affirmed. “It is a shift toward a more traditional bilateral relationship in the areas of security and diplomacy.”

With around 2,500 US troops still stationed in Iraq, Baghdad and Washington finalized an agreement last month setting a roadmap for the full withdrawal of American forces by September 2026.

Read more: Why Iraq’s PMF disarmament is a different battle from Lebanon’s Hezbollah

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington D.C.