{
  "id": 650200,
  "title": "Iraqi PM seeks legal cover to bring Iran-backed militia weapons under state control",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/iraqi-pm-seeks-legal-cover-to-bring-iran-backed-militia-weapons-under",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T09:17:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/08/12/iraqi-pm-seeks-legal-cover-to-bring-iran-backed-militia-weapons-under-state-control/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi is seeking legal authority to place all weapons under state control as part of a plan to disarm Iran-backed militias. This request was made during a meeting on Tuesday between Mr Al Zaidi and the head of the Defense and Security Committee, Khalid Al Obeidi. The government is under pressure to meet the September 30 deadline for disarming militias, with officials warning that non-compliant groups could face terrorism charges. Mr Al Zaidi emphasized that uncontrolled weapons undermine the law and weaken security institutions, stating that strengthening the state's sovereignty and military is crucial. While the government says the bill will be drafted in accordance with constitutional frameworks, passing such a law will be difficult due to the heavy representation of Iran-backed factions and political parties in parliament. The Prime Minister called for coordination between the executive and legislative branches to advance the files and address the security challenges faced by Iraq.",
  "summary": "Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has asked the parliament’s Defence and Security Committee to draft a bill to place all weapons into the hands of the state, in the latest push by Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed militias. The request, which was made during a meeting on Tuesday between Mr Al Zaidi and the head of the committee, Khalid Al Obeidi, comes as the government faces growing pressure to meet…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Iraqi PM seeks legal cover to bring Iran-backed militia weapons under state control",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/iraqi-pm-seeks-legal-cover-to-bring-iran-backed-militia-weapons-under-654175",
        "published": "2026-08-12T09:17:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}