Mixed signals and power plays cloud Iraq’s political arena over militia disarmament

Iraq’s armed factions are sending mixed and contradictory signals about disarmament, as political sources say limited expressions of willingness to confine weapons are aimed primarily at easing US pressure.

A senior Iraqi political source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were expectations that US special envoy Mark Savaya would visit Baghdad soon, accompanied by a senior US delegation, to outline the framework of relations with the Donald Trump administration in the next phase.

According to the source, recent statements by some factions suggesting readiness to confine weapons were linked directly to the anticipated visit and were designed to reduce pressure from Washington.

“These signals are about taking the file off the pressure table and shifting focus to other issues,” the source said, adding that they should not be read as a genuine move towards disarmament.

The comments underline growing confusion in Iraq over whether powerful Iran-backed militias are prepared to relinquish their arms, amid mounting US demands, internal political manoeuvring and outright rejection by some armed groups.

This month, there was uproar among government agencies after Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis appeared briefly on a list of terrorist groups facing sanctions, before it was retracted.

Mr Savaya said on Monday that any disarmament of Iran-backed militias in Iraq must be comprehensive and carried out within a clear national framework, warning that the country was at a crossroads.

Iraqi Army troops in Baghdad take part in a ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of the defeat of ISIS as a cohesive military force. AP

In a post on X, he welcomed what he described as “reported steps by Iraqi armed groups towards disa