Iraq PM gives Iran-backed militias until June 2027 to disarm and disband

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has given Iran-backed militias in Iraq until June 2027 to disarm and disband, according to remarks he made to The New York Times. Under the plan, the militias would first observe a 90-day truce before surrendering their weapons. Fighters would then be absorbed individually into state security forces rather than kept as organized units. Any group that remains armed after the June 2027 deadline would be formally declared an outlaw organization. The move targets the powerful Iran-aligned factions that have operated as parallel armed structures in Iraq for years, often outside the full control of the central government. The plan amounts to a long-deferred timeline rather than an immediate disarmament, and it is unclear whether the militias have agreed to the terms. The prime minister's office has not publicly detailed enforcement mechanisms, and the reporting rests on his comments to a single US newspaper.

Global Impact

Geopolitically, the plan tests Baghdad's ability to assert state monopoly on force against Iran-aligned militias, a core source of regional instability and a recurring flashpoint for US-Iran tensions. If it advances, it could reduce the risk of militia attacks on US and coalition assets and soften the regional escalation ladder; if it fails, it may embolden armed factions and deepen Baghdad's dependence on Tehran.