On Wednesday, Ali al-Zaidi called on armed factions to integrate into state institutions, as United States increases pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed groups.

Zaidi, who only recently took office, has voiced support for the state's monopoly on weapons as Washington calls for groups it designates as terrorist organisations to hand over their weapons to the government, News.Az reports, citing Gulf Times.

It comes after influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said his own group would do so.

Sadr, a cleric with a large popular following who once led a militia against American and Iraqi government forces, has long criticised Tehran-backed armed factions and repeatedly urged them to disarm.

Zaidi called in a statement "on all armed factions to follow the same responsible national path and operate under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions".

This would "guarantee the protection of Iraq, preserve its sovereignty, and strengthen security and stability, based on the principle that the state is the sole authority entitled to monopolise arms and enforce the law," Zaidi said.

Sadr announced "the complete separation" of his armed group Saraya al-Salam (the Peace Brigades) from his political party and its "full integration into the state".

He did not provide details on how this would happen.

Sadr once led the Mahdi Army militia, which was one of the US's main foes in Iraq after the 2003 invasion that toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein.

He then dissolved the Mahdi Army and created Saraya al-Salam following the emergence of the Islamic State group, which was defeated in 2017.

Zaidi said Sadr's "initiative represents an important step toward strengthening internal stability, reinforcing the principle of restricting weapons to the state, and supporting the security forces in carrying out their national and constitutional duties."

But Sadr has made several reversals over the years, and he has announced on several occasions that he is withdrawing from politics.

The US, which wields significant influence in Iraq, has recently piled pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed groups, which have intervened in support of Tehran and hit US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times during the Middle East war.

Several powerful Iraqi politicians have also called for a state monopoly on weapons, revealing divisions over the sensitive issue.

While some armed groups showed readiness to cooperate, others remain adamant that the issue should not be discussed under US pressure.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli