Iranian Quds Force chief visits Baghdad for talks on disarming armed groups
An Iraqi source has said the head of Iran's Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad earlier this week for talks on the Iraqi government's plan to disarm armed groups. The source said Qaani held behind-the-scenes meetings with Iraqi political and security leaders, as well as commanders of Shia paramilitaries, on Monday. The discussions reportedly focused on bringing weapons under state control as Baghdad moves toward a September 30 deadline.
Sponsored
According to the source, the Iranian message delivered through Qaani was that there should be no handover of faction weapons at the present time. The source said Tehran believes a new round of war could break out and urged a political compromise rather than confrontation between the government and armed groups that refuse to disarm. The same source said Iraqi political parties oppose the use of force to implement the plan.
The visit comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi faces a mounting political and security crisis over the deadline to restrict all weapons to state control. He has told parliament that his government wants to implement a 2024 deal with the United States-led coalition's military mission in Iraq to end its role as combat forces by the end of September. On Tuesday, al-Zaidi also directed parliament's Security and Defence Committee to prepare a draft law to restrict weapons to the state in line with constitutional provisions.
The issue is significant because it sits at the intersection of Iraq's sovereignty, Iran's influence, and the role of armed factions that have long operated outside full state control. Baghdad's push for a monopoly on arms is likely to test relations between the government and pro-Iran groups, while also affecting its ties with Tehran and Washington. The talks also come after al-Zaidi discussed the disarmament plan and Baghdad's relationship with Tehran during a visit to the United States last month, followed by a trip to Tehran.
Sponsored
The Coordination Framework, described as an umbrella for Shia Iraqi parties, was the channel through which the Iraqi source spoke about the visit. That account suggests the issue is being handled through political and security contacts rather than public diplomacy. It also indicates that the government is trying to balance pressure to assert state authority with the risk of provoking armed factions that may resist any immediate surrender of weapons.
It remains unclear whether the Baghdad meetings produced any concrete agreement or changed the position of the armed groups involved. It is also not clear how much support al-Zaidi has for using force if the deadline passes without progress. The next key point to watch is whether parliament advances the draft law and whether the government can secure a compromise before September 30.
Sponsored
