Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, met on Monday with Ali Al-Zaydi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This meeting came as the withdrawal of the last American troops from Iraq approaches the date of September 30, and Baghdad faces increasing pressure to control Iranian-backed militias.
Withdrawal Plan for American Troops and Call for Disarmament
The withdrawal of American troops coincides with a deadline set by the Iraqi government for armed groups to hand over their weapons to the Popular Mobilization Forces. These forces, which are a network of Shiite militias, were formed to combat ISIS and have officially been incorporated into Iraq's security forces over the past decade.
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Ali Al-Zaydi, in an interview published on Monday, called for a new deadline for the disarmament of these militias. According to him, from September 30, armed groups in Iraq will be required to observe a 90-day halt in attacks and then must hand over their weapons, with this process expected to conclude by June 30, 2027.
Challenges of Disarmament and Political Tensions
However, the Iraqi government's request for disarmament has met with strong resistance from the militias. Some of the strongest groups, including Kata'ib Hezbollah, refuse to voluntarily hand over their weapons. Other groups have also stated they are ready to surrender their arms, but it seems they are waiting for political concessions in return.
According to Victoria Taylor, the Iraq and Syria Project Director at the Atlantic Council, groups like Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq are waiting to see if the United States will respond to the appointment of Laith Al-Khazali, the brother of the group's secretary-general, as Deputy Prime Minister in the Iraqi government.
This comes as the war between Iran and the United States continues into its seventh month, with Tehran maintaining tight control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian-backed groups have carried out hundreds of attacks against U.S.-linked facilities in Iraq since the beginning of this war.
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