Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Aboudi says three armed factions have already begun handing over their weapons to the Iraqi state, revealing new details about Baghdad’s discussions with both the United States and Iran over restricting weapons to state control.
Speaking in an interview with journalist Zainab Rabie, Al-Aboudi said he was unsure whether Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi would approve of him disclosing some of the details. Al-Aboudi said previous Iraqi governments had attempted to place all weapons under state authority but had been unable to fully implement the policy.
He explained that recent understandings with the United States regarding the withdrawal of American forces by September 30 have removed one of the main justifications used by some armed groups to retain their weapons.
According to Al-Aboudi, three factions have already started handing over their weapons to the state, describing the move as an important step toward consolidating security under government control. Al-Aboudi said Baghdad held discussions with both Washington and Tehran because some armed groups maintain ideological and political ties with Iran.
He revealed that Iranian officials pledged to support Iraq’s efforts to limit weapons to state institutions after becoming convinced that U.S. forces would withdraw according to the agreed timeline. “I believe there will be no weapons outside the state’s authority once the U.S. withdrawal is complete,” Al-Aboudi said.
The National Security Adviser also disclosed that Iraqi officials raised objections during talks in Tehran over previous Iranian strikes targeting the Kurdistan Region. He said Baghdad made it clear that attacks on Iraqi territory were “unjustified and unacceptable under any pretext.”
Al-Aboudi described Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s recent visit to Washington as a turning point in Iraq-U.S. relations. He argued that Iraq had been “almost isolated,” even regionally, before the visit, while the United States viewed Iraq with suspicion.
According to Al-Aboudi, the meetings shifted the relationship toward an economic partnership, encouraged major American companies to reconsider investing in Iraq, and helped revive U.S. interest in the country.
He added that both sides also agreed to resume military training programs that had previously been suspended, continue security coordination, and discuss the issue of Iraqi detainees transferred from Syria, with Baghdad receiving what he described as positive responses from Washington.
Al-Aboudi’s remarks come just days after government spokesperson Haider Al-Aboudi stressed that limiting weapons to state control is a sovereign Iraqi issue and should not be negotiated in foreign capitals.
The comments coincided with Prime Minister Al-Zaidi’s visit to Tehran, where he discussed energy, trade, transportation, agriculture, and broader regional developments with Iranian officials.