The recent developments in Iraq signal a major shift in the country’s approach to managing militias. Two powerful Iran-backed militias, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Imam Ali Brigades, have announced their intention to hand over their weapons to state authorities. This move aligns with the Iraqi government’s efforts to centralize control over arms and reduce the influence of autonomous armed groups.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq has taken steps to facilitate this transition. A committee has been formed to inventory fighters, weapons, and equipment. The group responds to calls from Iraq’s top Shiite religious authority and the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework, a dominant parliamentary bloc.
Similarly, the Imam Ali Brigades said it aims to help build a strong state by having weapons in state hands and strengthening state institutions. This decision follows the tension in the Middle East, highlighted by a war initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28 with strikes on Iran. The war underlined the fragility of Iraq’s institutions and their struggle to control just how independent these militias were.
The tension between Washington and these militias has added to the crisis. Acts by the groups as extensions of Iran’s regional campaign have escalated attacks on U.S. interests before a ceasefire deal in April. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, known for the Saraya al-Salam militia, has also announced that the group will separate from his political movement and integrate into state institutions.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, under U.S. pressure, has prioritized state control over weapons. The Trump administration has pushed back against any Iraqi government influenced by Iran-backed factions, tying defense cooperation and funding to disarmament efforts.
Many Iran-backed militias receive Iraqi state funding and are part of the security apparatus but operate outside government control. This independence has brought criticism from the U.S. and other countries who face attacks by these militias, urging Baghdad to take firmer action.
Some factions within Iraq’s Coordination Framework oppose disarmament, notably Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba. They link disarmament to Iraq’s sovereignty and foreign troop presence. Kataib Hezbollah has agreed only to coordinate with the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces instead of surrendering arms.
The Popular Mobilization Forces, formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group, encompasses mostly Shiite armed groups. Despite ostensibly being state-backed, these groups maintain independent command structures and ties to Iran.