US envoy Tom Barrack urges Iraq to set clear timeline for disarming armed groups

BAGHDAD, Iraq — US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack has pressed Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zidani to establish a clear timeline for consolidating weapons under state control and disarming armed groups operating outside state authority, according to an Iraqi political source. During the meeting in Baghdad on Monday, Washington asked the Iraqi government to move beyond political rhetoric on the issue and take measurable steps, the source said. An Iraqi government official involved in the disarmament file said Barrack's message was that the process cannot advance without a defined timeline. Political sources noted that the number of armed factions refusing to hand over their weapons has risen from two to four. The push comes ahead of expected US-Iran talks scheduled for Friday in Geneva. Iraqi sources said any potential US-Iran understanding could directly affect the armed groups file. Zidani's government is framing the issue as part of a broader effort to reassert state authority in the security sphere, though the groups' political and military influence, along with their varying stances on joining state institutions or disbanding, complicates the process. Political assessments also point to the possibility that Washington may tie cooperation in energy, infrastructure, technology and finance to progress on disarmament.