Jaafar Al-Husseini, spokesman for the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said on Wednesday that the resistance factions do not consider themselves bound by any timeline or agreement issued by a government or political body.
Al-Husseini said the factions had been engaged for more than 40 days in negotiations with the government through a four-member committee established by the Coordination Framework. The talks focused on mechanisms for regulating factional weapons in return for completing Iraq’s sovereignty requirements, particularly the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces and all forms of foreign military presence from Iraqi territory, airspace and waters.
He said the government had yet to communicate its final position on the agreement, despite the document having been formally signed by the negotiating committee and representatives of the four factions.
Al-Husseini stressed that the resistance’s weapons would remain in the hands of its fighters under its current position, while retaining the right to respond to any U.S. or Israeli violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. He also said the door remained open to dialogue aimed at ensuring Iraq’s sovereignty and independent decision-making.
The comments come as Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has pledged to complete the disarmament of armed factions by June 2027, while the State Administration Coalition continues to call for weapons to be placed exclusively under state control.
