US supports Iraq’s weapon consolidation process – Shafaq News

Shafaq News- Washington

The US backs Iraq’s efforts to place all weapons under
state control, a senior White House official told Shafaq News on Friday,
describing the move as central to the country’s stability and future.

“The U.S. stands with Iraqi efforts to fully realize their
potential as a force for stability, prosperity and security in the Middle
East,” he added, warning that Iranian influence could still undermine Baghdad’s
ability to pursue its national interests.

Earlier this week, Iraqi security officials set out the
first practical steps toward integrating armed factions into the state’s
security framework, beginning with the transfer of facilities and weapons
belonging to Saraya al-Salam, the armed wing of Muqtada al-Sadr’s Patriotic
Shiite Movement.

The move is part of a broader government drive to
consolidate weapons under state authority, backed by the ruling Shiite
Coordination Framework (CF), which recently endorsed Prime Minister Ali
al-Zaidi’s plans to restructure relations between armed groups and the state.

Both Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali have previously
introduced measures aimed at reorganizing their forces and aligning them with
the government’s weapons-control initiative. Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN), Kataib Hezbollah and Ashab al-Kahf, however, have rejected any calls for
disengagement.

Read more: How the US pushed Iraq’s armed factions toward disarmament, and who is still pushing back