Iraq negotiations on transferring weapons to state control enter critical phase

BAGHDAD, Iraq — With 34 days remaining before the end of the international coalition mission set for September 30, 2026, Iraq's effort to bring weapons under state control has reached a critical juncture. The government announced on August 21 that weapons would be collected by September 30, and National Security Adviser Qasim al-Aaraji said the following day that the date applies to the coalition's withdrawal, with the regulation of weapons to begin gradually afterward. Iraqi Armed Forces spokesman Sabah al-Numan said talks on transferring weapons to state control have made significant progress, with a member database being prepared and weapons being sorted and moved to designated depots. Some resistance groups have called for delaying the process. Experts have warned that weapons remaining outside state authority remain the main threat and that the dispute must not escalate into confrontation. No further details on the timeline or the groups participating in the talks were immediately available.