Al-Zaidi reaffirms Pentagon's commitment to containing weapons
On the second day of his important visit to Washington, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Idabi held comprehensive talks today with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, reiterating that the decision to centralize weapons under state control has been made and that no entity will be permitted to wield arms outside its authority after September 30.
During his talks with al-Idabi, Hegseth stressed the necessity for Iraq to assert its sovereignty and disarm Iran-aligned militias, “responsible for more than 600 attacks on U.S. forces this spring,” emphasizing that “Iraq is a strong, sovereign state that does not belong to Iran, Saddam, Al-Qaeda, or ISIS.”
Following the agreement between al-Idabi and President Donald Trump that the U.S. military will fully withdraw from Iraq by September 30, Hegseth confirmed the completion of the mission to combat ISIS within Operation Inherent Resolve, according to the previously announced joint timeline, noting that Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga will lead efforts to defeat the group following the withdrawal.
Telling al-Idabi, “We appreciate your courage and boldness and look forward to your leadership and partnership based on mutual benefits,” the spokesperson for the Commander of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Sabah al-Nu’man, revealed that al-Idabi had directed the formation of an Iraqi committee to negotiate with the United States regarding the nature of security and military relations following the full withdrawal.
Al-Nu’man clarified that the committee would liaise with the U.S. side to determine the nature of future security and military relations, affirming that the new relationship would be framed within the parameters and requirements of Iraqi sovereignty, supporting the full authority of the armed forces over Iraqi territory, as they are capable of protecting the country’s land and airspace.
Al-Idabi and Hegseth’s talks included a comprehensive review of security and military relations between Iraq and the United States, as well as agreements on several files of mutual interest, including the continuation of intelligence exchange in the field of counter-terrorism.
In his meeting with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, al-Idabi reiterated that “Iraq today faces a different stage, seeking to build a strong, sovereign state free of corruption,” and pointed out that “the government has placed combating corruption and centralizing weapons under state control among its top priorities, through a package of important measures.”
Trump had praised al-Idabi during their meeting yesterday, describing him as a “great hero and a great friend of America,” and viewing him as “a great leader whose influence will extend to the Middle East, not just Iraq.” He decided to host a luncheon for him, which was not on the agenda, due to the “great rapport” between them, and hinted at the possibility of striking major oil deals with him.
