Iraqi coalition member says September 30 weapons deadline may not be final

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of the State of Law Coalition in the Iraqi parliament said the government's September 30 deadline for bringing weapons under state control may not be binding. Zuhair al-Jalabi said the file remains unresolved and could be reopened after the withdrawal of U.S. and Turkish forces from Iraq, including from the al-Zalikan base in Mosul. The comments come from within a major political bloc despite the government having announced September 30 as the cutoff date. A draft law on the Popular Mobilization Forces remains on the parliamentary agenda and is seen as a stance against U.S. demands, though no official position has been stated. The government has said six entities responded positively to dialogue, while some armed groups have reiterated they will not disarm without a foreign troop withdrawal and security guarantees. Officials and political figures are also discussing a "weapons management" framework as an alternative to disarmament. As the September 30 deadline approaches, it remains unclear whether a final decision will come from the government or through agreement among political groups.