Iraq plans disarm Iran-backed militias by June 2027

Members of Saraya al-Salam attend a ceremony in Samarra on June 4, 2026, marking their integration into Iraq’s security forces. Photo: AFP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi revealed an ambitious plan to disarm Iran-backed militias in his country by June 2027. In an interview with The New York Times, al-Zaidi said that the disarmament decision is not optional but a necessity, describing it—alongside the fight against corruption—as a matter of honor. According to al-Zaidi, the plan begins with a 90-day period during which the militias would refrain from launching attacks in exchange for guarantees that they would not be targeted by US forces; this would be followed by a weapons-handover process concluding by June 30, 2027. The prime minister said that the militias are still pushing for an extension until the end of the year, but a top Iraqi security source warned that the plan would collapse unless Washington and Tehran reach a peace agreement. Al-Zaidi claimed that he intends to disband these militias as autonomous formations and merge them into the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as individuals. He also stated that any groups functioning under militia identities beyond the deadline will be considered illegal. On the other hand, these groups insist on their right to bear arms as long as “occupation forces” pose a threat—a reference to the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran last February. The spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Sabah al-Numan, said last month that the government remains dedicated to regulating firearms and guaranteeing that they are under the control of the state and its official security agencies. Al-Numan stated that a specialist committee had been created and that discussions were underway on how to control weapons in a way that preserves them, adding that the issue was a fundamental demand. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Hussein al-Awadi, announced on Monday that authorities plan to collect up to six million weapons in the upcoming months. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to limit weapon possession strictly to security forces.