Al-Zaidi: Iraq will not be a station for harming others

Baghdad – Agencies: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi reiterated that Iraq will not serve as a station for harming others. He stressed that “the government is committed to building an Iraq with full sovereignty, where the people have all the conditions for respect, security, and the preservation of their wealth and the future of their generations.” Speaking at an event commemorating the Prophet’s birthday, al-Zaidi said, “Iraqis will declare the completion of their sovereignty over the entire Iraqi territory on September 30 next.” He added that the region is experiencing continuous tensions that have caused divisions among countries, clarifying that “his government’s program includes a clear approach to reconstruction and reform, combating corruption, enhancing a productive work environment, and ensuring the establishment of security institutions operating under the umbrella of the Constitution.” He reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s commitment to “the requirements of national peace and the rule of law.”

Al-Zaidi had repeatedly emphasized, since assuming office, his adherence to the principles of fighting corruption and accountability, as well as monopolizing weapons in the hands of the state and avoiding entanglement in regional and international axes. He also noted that the final deadline for the withdrawal of international coalition forces from Iraq will be September 30 next, coinciding with efforts to consolidate weapons control under state authority.

Meanwhile, Qasim al-Araji, the security advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, announced that September 30 does not mark the end of the deadline set for Iraqi groups close to Iran to hand over their weapons to the state, contrary to what officials had reiterated for months without providing an explanation. This statement followed remarks by government spokesperson Hayder al-Aboudi to local media on Friday, in which he confirmed that September 30 “is the date for the end of the presence of international coalition forces, not a deadline for armed factions,” adding, “Perhaps some people are confusing the two.”

The same spokesperson had stated at a press conference on June 29 that “all armed groups were notified of a specific date marking the end of this file, which is September 30, when the presence of the international coalition also ends.” He added, “After this date, all weapons outside state control will be subject to legal measures.”

A government source told Agence France-Presse that “the situation is extremely complex,” clarifying that “there is a government insistence on resolving the weapons file, while there is equally strong insistence from faction leaders to retain their weapons, as they believe disarming them would serve Israel and the United States.”

In an interview with the official Iraqiya News Channel on Sunday evening, al-Araji said, “September 30 is the date for the withdrawal of the international coalition, not the end of the deadline for handing over weapons.” He added, “After September 30, the gradual process of consolidating weapons in state hands will begin.”

A second Iraqi government source noted that “Iran views its proxies in the region, particularly in Iraq, as a strategic strength it refuses to relinquish.”