Iraq: No set deadline for weapons regulation.. and we will not allow any threat to neighboring countries
Iraqi Armed Forces spokesperson Sabah Al-Nu’man reiterated that the state is proceeding with the file of arms consolidation, emphasizing that the armed forces “will not allow any threat directed at neighboring countries.”
The official Wana News Agency quoted Al-Nu’man during a press conference on Thursday, stressing that “there is no specific deadline with the factions for organizing weapons, but dialogue is ongoing.”
He clarified that “handling this file is done with a high degree of care to preserve the rights of martyrs and the wounded,” noting that “discussions and dialogues are continuing, and the file will be resolved after the withdrawal of the international coalition forces.”
He stressed that September 30 of this year is the final deadline for the completion of the coalition’s mission in Iraq.
Al-Nu’man also announced that “the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has handed over its weapons, and there are dialogues with Ankara regarding the return of its members to Turkey or their exit from Iraq to a place of their choosing.”
In another matter, he stated that one of the “priorities of the Commander-in-Chief (Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi) is an Iraq free of drugs,” affirming that “action will be taken firmly against anyone spreading rumors and using sectarian rhetoric.”
In Singapore, authorities announced that a leader of the Iran-backed Iraqi “Hezbollah Brigades” is currently detained by Washington and is suspected of planning attacks against Israelis in Europe, Canada, and the United States, having attempted to enter the country years ago.
Mohammed Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi is currently imprisoned in the United States, which accuses him of being a prominent leader in the “Brigades,” designated as a “terrorist organization” due to its ties with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In an annual assessment of terrorist threats, Singapore’s Internal Security Department revealed that Al-Saadi had sought to enter the country.
It added in its report that he “submitted visa application requests to visit Singapore three times in 2023 and 2024, but ultimately did not travel to Singapore.”
While authorities emphasized that they would not have allowed him entry into their territory, they suggested that he may have traveled to another part of Southeast Asia during that period. They added: “We did not rule out the possibility that Baqer’s travel to this region was for terrorist purposes, and it is possible that he shifted his attention to Singapore, including towards US and Israeli interests here.”
Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey before being transferred to the United States, where he was jailed pending trial. Washington indicted him in May 2026, suspecting him of orchestrating attacks on US and Israeli interests, encouraging their commission, and calling for the killing of Americans and Jews in retaliation for the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Southeast Asia has previously been a target for attacks, most notably the 2002 bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali, which killed more than 200 people.
In September 2024, intelligence reports indicated the monitoring of activity or attempts by cells linked to Iraqi armed factions, such as the “Hezbollah Brigades,” to expand into areas close to Central Asia and the Caucasus; which then represented a potential development in their external operations.
Reports also indicated that the “Guard” is seeking to recruit “non-Iranian” elements to expand certain activities, specifically in the field of maritime security, reaching as far as East Asia.
