Iraq’s June Arms Deadline Tests State Authority

Iraq’s prime minister has set June 30 as the deadline for bringing weapons exclusively under state control, putting the government’s authority over armed factions to the test.

He also identified October 1 as the start of a serious effort to address weapons held outside state control. That date falls one day after the withdrawal of international coalition forces.

The prime minister stressed that decisions on war and peace belong solely to the country’s constitutional authorities, underscoring the government’s position that armed groups cannot exercise that power independently.

The timetable places the issue of faction-held weapons at the centre of Iraq’s security agenda. Its significance lies not only in securing arms, but also in establishing whether the state can enforce its exclusive authority over their use.