🔻 Prime Minister of Iraq: We have no intention of engaging in military confrontation with armed groups

Ali Zaydi, Prime Minister of Iraq, said during the eighth session of the Baghdad Dialogue conference that his government has no intention of entering into military conflict with armed groups.

At the same time, he emphasized that “constructive talks are underway to bring weapons under government control.”

Mr. Zaydi said: “We are facing difficult days that none of the previous governments had to deal with.”

He noted that some groups have previously handed over their weapons, cut ties, and joined the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hachd al-Shaabi), while talks with other groups are still ongoing.

The Iraqi prime minister, stating that “all political currents agree on advancing the plan to limit weapons and hand them over to the government,” added that work is underway on the mechanisms for the transfer of these weapons.

He also described the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a “major challenge” and said that Iraq’s oil exports are currently at about 10% of the usual level, and that alternative routes for exports are “temporary and limited.”