Political sources and others close to the Iraqi government said to The New Arab on Tuesday, 14 July, that the US administration is seriously pushing a plan to strip Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions of drones and advanced long-range missiles with no extension.
According to the sources, Washington will not, under its agreements and understandings with Baghdad, allow any extension beyond next October for the factions to comply.
The information, obtained by The New Arab, c omes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi visits Washington at the head of a delegation to discuss "attracting investment and advancing the development process".
Sources told TNA that the future of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and various armed factions was discussed at the Coordination Framework alliance's latest meeting before Al-Zaidi departed for Washington.
While none of the leaders of Shia political parties close to the factions objected to the government's disarmament plan , some leaders argued that emptying the factions' weapons depots could help pave the way for the approval of the Popular Mobilisation Forces Law. They argue this would transform the PMF into a regular institution administratively and organisationally subordinate to the prime minister.
The sources acknowledged that the issue could be discussed in Washington.
However, all indications suggest that the United States will not accept any weapons that are not registered with the Iraqi state.
A member of the Coordination Framework alliance who was familiar with the discussions at the latest meeting told TNA, "Washington, through separate meetings with leaders of Shia parties and through official meetings with the prime minister, confirmed that it will fully adhere to the timetable set for bringing faction weapons under state control, particularly heavy weapons including long-range missiles and drones."
"Therefore, discussions between Al-Zaidi and the US administration on disarming the factions are not open to any delay," the source said.
"Al-Zaidi contacted leaders of the factions known to oppose disarmament through intermediaries over the past few weeks. He offered numerous guarantees about the seriousness of the process and about the leaders themselves not being targeted. However, the response remained the same: accepting the disarmament of the factions would amount to surrendering to arrogant powers," the source added.
Al-Zaidi's domestic challenges
For his part, Iraqi MP Miqdad Al-Khafaji, affiliated with the Huqooq Movement, which is close to Kataib Hezbollah, said, "Washington wants to destroy the resistance factions by taking away their weapons, which represent the symbol of their strength, honour and doctrine."
"This will not happen as long as the threats and US occupation of Iraq continue, and as long as the danger of normalisation with the Israeli entity remains," he added.
Moreover, al-Akhafaji stressed to TNA that "Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington should remain focused on strengthening bilateral relations and concluding balanced agreements that achieve mutual benefit for both countries."
"It should not address Iraq's internal affairs related to popular orientations, particularly issues such as weapons being under state control and the future of the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Washington, as these are sovereign domestic matters to be decided exclusively under the dome of the Iraqi parliament," he said.
Political affairs researcher Basim Al-Sheikh said that Al-Zaidi will be required by the US administration to explain the latest developments on three issues: the state's monopoly on weapons, money laundering, and combating corruption.
"This will require intensified efforts. Although the government has made good progress, these files are still at an early stage of completion," al-Sheikh said.
He pointed out that the factions' weapons are linked to the presence of US forces in Iraq .
"The deadline set by the prime minister to end the factions' weapons coincides with the end of the US presence in Iraq. Therefore, the coming few months will determine the outcome," he said.
For his part, security expert Sarmad Al-Bayati remarked that "Washington wants faction weapons to be placed under the control of the Iraqi state and wants to prevent any leaders or members of the armed factions from holding important executive government positions in the country."
"Meanwhile, the factions say their weapons are linked to the US occupation. Even if the US presence ends, the factions may instead speak of the dangers of normalisation with the Israeli entity. Therefore, the issue of the factions' weapons will not be an easy one," he said.
Al-Bayati also argued to TNA that Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington does not include the weapons file.
"Rather, we are waiting for economic agreements so that we can emerge from the economic crisis, especially since we currently have no outlets for exporting Iraqi oil," he said.
The Iraqi factions appear to be aware of this position, particularly after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on Sunday its "principled" rejection of Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington .
A statement issued by the group, which includes several factions, most notably Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, said: "While the American-Zionist war machine continues to commit brutal massacres and shed the blood of thousands of believers and innocent people in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine, an Iraqi government delegation travels to Washington to meet the US administration."
"We reject this visit, which coincides with the hearts of believers and free people around the world boiling with grief and anguish over the continuation of these horrific crimes," the statement added.
The statement reiterated that "the continued presence of US forces on Iraqi soil constitutes an occupation, and that one of the government's priorities must be to work, through all available means, to end it according to the announced timetable."
The statement noted the factions opposed "trade exchanges and the signing of contracts with any country that harbours hostility towards the resisting people or works to confiscate political decision-making and violate sovereignty", while also rejecting "any economic monopoly or domination over Iraq's resources".
Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .