Iran's IRGC Quds Force Commander Makes Secret Visit to Iraq Over Disarmament Plan

Baghdad, Iraq – An Iraqi source from the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shia Islamic parties in Iraq, said that Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), made an unannounced visit to Baghdad earlier this week.

According to the anonymous source, Qaani held closed-door meetings with Iraqi political and security leaders, as well as commanders of Shia paramilitary forces, on Monday to discuss the Iraqi government's plan to disarm armed groups and bring weapons under state control.

"Tehran has sent a message through Qaani… not to hand over weapons of the factions at this time," the source said, adding that Iran assesses that a new round of conflict could erupt.

"Iran's message emphasizes finding a political compromise rather than sliding into confrontation between the government and armed factions that refuse to hand over weapons," the source said, adding that Iraqi political parties oppose the use of force to implement the government's plan.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is facing a growing political and security crisis as the September 30 deadline to restrict all weapons under state control approaches. He declared before parliament that the government aims to implement a 2024 agreement with the US-led coalition in Iraq to end the presence of combat forces by the end of September.

The Iraqi government's efforts to monopolize weapons and disarm Iran-backed armed factions, as well as the relationship between Baghdad and Tehran, were topics discussed during al-Zaidi's visit to the United States last month – his first foreign trip since taking office in May. Days after meeting US President Donald Trump, al-Zaidi also traveled to Tehran for talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

On Tuesday, al-Zaidi directed the parliament's Security and Defense Committee to prepare a draft law restricting weapons to state hands in accordance with constitutional provisions. He warned that uncontrolled weapons are the most dangerous threat to the state because they undermine the rule of law and the credibility of security institutions.

While some armed groups have agreed to join state forces, the defiance of powerful Shia paramilitary groups, including Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, threatens to derail the government's efforts.

In a meeting earlier this month, the State Administration Coalition – comprising the most prominent Shia parties along with some Sunni and Kurdish parties – called for the need to restrict weapons to state hands, describing entities conducting operations that threaten national security outside official institutions as "outlaws that must be combated." The coalition also hinted at applying the "Anti-Terrorism Law" to any armed activity after the government's deadline expires.

Sources said some other Shia leaders are trying to defuse tensions. Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Hikma Movement, is leading efforts to persuade factions to move toward restricting weapons to state hands within the remaining month of the deadline.

Ghazi Faisal, director of the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, said that continued arms possession by Iraqi factions could turn the issue into a larger security crisis.

"Factions using Iraqi territory and their military capabilities as a springboard to target neighboring countries could push those states to respond directly or build joint security agreements to counter sources of threat," Faisal said, adding that any new regional security alliance aimed at protecting Gulf security and strategic waterways might be forced to treat armed groups as part of the regional security equation, not merely as Iraqi political parties.

"The most practical way out is to firmly establish the principle of restricting weapons and tie decisions of war and peace to Iraqi constitutional institutions – because a state that does not monopolize the decision to use force cannot fully ensure national security," he said.

Last week, Baghdad witnessed a security escalation after armed groups threatened to retaliate against Saudi and US strikes on bases of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) late last month.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it coordinated with Saudi Arabia to conduct strikes on July 28 targeting "Iran-linked terrorists" that the IRGC had "directed attacks on US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure." The Saudi Foreign Ministry also accused "Iran-backed terrorist militias" in Iraq of choosing "the path of irresponsible escalation" by launching drone attacks on Saudi territory.

However, efforts by the Iraqi government and political factions succeeded in containing tensions, paving the way for de-escalation and diplomatic maneuvering.