Iraq say it has made progress in talks with armed groups

Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Kurdish article.

The Iraqi government has made significant progress in talks with armed militia groups and that five of them had agreed to place their weapons under state control, a government spokesman told VOA.

“The government has completed the requirements and the details of negotiations” with five, armed groups, spokesman Haydar al-Aboudi told VOA Kurdish reporter Diyar Jamal in an interview in Baghdad.

Aboudi also said talks continue with two other groups, and that the hope is that those negotiations will be concluded successfully by June 2027.

Aboudi did not name the groups or explain and questions about the negotiations have yet to be announced, and it’s unclear if the militias have agreed to surrender their weapons or join Iraq’s official security forces.

The issue of armed groups operating outside government control has been a longstanding concern. Some of the country’s most powerful armed factions have close ties to Iran.

Washington has repeatedly called on Baghdad to bring all weapons under government control and prevent armed groups from acting independently.

Aboudi said the government had taken steps to address the issue since Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi took office in May 2026.

He said June 2027 was the deadline set by the government to complete the process.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack on Sunday praised Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi for taking action against Iran-backed militias. He singled out the government's decision to cancel some contracts at Mosul International Airport over alleged links to armed groups. The contracts cover airport counters, parking facilities and taxi services, and Zaidi suggested they be awarded to international companies. Barrack said al-Zaidi was sending a clear message that “militia influence has no place in Iraq’s institutions,” calling the move “sovereignty in action.”

Relations with the United States

Aboudi described Iraq’s relations with Washington as moving toward greater economic cooperation based on shared interests and mutual respect.

The United States and Iraq agreed on a phased transition of the coalition’s military mission, with Iraqi forces taking greater responsibility for the country’s security.

Regional Tensions

Asked about the possibility of regional conflicts spreading into Iraq, Aboudi said the government was taking political, economic and security measures to keep the country out of regional disputes.

He said decisions concerning Iraq’s security and foreign policy were made by the Iraqi government and that no outside country had the authority to make those decisions.

Aboudi also rejected claims that Iranian forces had entered Iraqi territory in parts of Diyala province and the Kurdistan Region.

“These are just rumors,” he said, adding that government reports did not support the claims.

When asked about Sunday's drone attacks on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region, Aboudi said a security committee headed by Iraq’s national security adviser was working with relevant government agencies to address the issue and discover who was behind the attacks.

Iranian Kurdish Opposition Groups

Aboudi also addressed differing reports that Baghdad and Tehran had reached an agreement concerning Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region.

Iran’s ambassador to Iraq said Baghdad had agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition members from the Kurdistan Region. Aboudi would only say that discussions were underway through a security committee but did not provide details about the measures being considered.

He emphasized that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighboring countries.

Security After Coalition Withdrawal

Aboudi expressed confidence in Iraq’s ability to maintain security following the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces on September 30^th.

He said Iraqi security forces, including the army, Interior Ministry forces and Kurdish Peshmerga, were prepared to respond to potential threats.

“ISIS is no longer an effective force on the ground,” he said.

Islamic State lost control of the territory it held in Iraq in 2017, although remnants of the group have continued to carry out attacks.

Aboudi said Iraq’s security forces were ready to deal with any new threats.