Iran-backed groups in Iraq push conditions as state weapons deadline nears

BAGHDAD, Iraq — As Baghdad's September 30 deadline approaches for consolidating arms under state control, statements from Iran-backed armed groups have complicated the process, according to a report by London-based Amwaj Media. The report said a ten-point list submitted by the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigade on August 29, followed a day later by remarks from Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri, have deepened rather than resolved the dispute. Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigade spokesman Kazim al-Fartusi reiterated that the group will not relinquish its weapons while the U.S. occupation and violations of sovereignty continue. Amiri, who also leads the Popular Mobilization Forces, framed the process as regulation of weapons rather than disarmament, arguing the decision is not externally imposed. Amwaj Media assessed that the two statements reflect a coordinated negotiating tactic in response to waning public support, rather than outright opposition to disarmament. The report also noted that the United States has rejected proposals to freeze weapons rather than surrender them, and could launch new military operations in Iraq if diplomatic efforts fail.