PM Al Zaidi declares full sovereignty as coalition exits, sets 2027 arms deadline

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi unveiled a comprehensive security and political roadmap on Thursday, October 1, 2026, coinciding with the official and complete withdrawal of the U.S.-led International Coalition forces across land, air, and maritime domains. Declaring the realization of full national sovereignty, Al-Zaidi pledged that the state will hold exclusive authority over decisions of war and peace, while initiating structured timelines to dismantle illicit arms and integrate paramilitary formations under constitutional command. In a national address marking Iraqi Sovereignty Day, the Prime Minister commended the historic milestone, attributing the restoration of territorial independence to the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and the foundational role played by the Supreme Religious Authority’s fatwa of Sufficient Jihad. He underscored the contributions of national armed forces and volunteer factions in defeating Daesh (ISIS), framing the coalition’s final exit not merely as a military milestone, but as the foundation for a sovereign state capable of managing its own defense. A central pillar of the roadmap is the formal launch of a state campaign to resolve uncontrolled weapons. Al-Zaidi established a binding deadline of June 30, 2027, to reorganize factional armaments and integrate armed formations strictly under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, while advancing legislation governing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) within the statutory defense apparatus. Concurrently, the Prime Minister affirmed that the federal government will systematically disarm all non-Iraqi armed groups present on national territory to safeguard domestic order and secure border regions. To guarantee territorial and airspace integrity in the post-coalition era, Al-Zaidi announced that the government is initiating immediate procurement programs for a comprehensive national air defense system. He reaffirmed Baghdad’s constitutional mandate barring Iraqi territory or airspace from serving as a launchpad or transit corridor for hostile actions against neighboring states, while rejecting any cross-border aggression against Iraq. The Prime Minister concluded by asserting that October 1 initiates a new sovereign era focused on institutional law, civil peace, balanced foreign relations, and directing sovereign wealth toward infrastructure modernization and long-term socio-economic development.