Iraq Doubles Down on State Arms Control as Iraqi PM Receives Tribal Chiefs for Eid al-Adha
Ali al-Zaidi reaffirmed the government's drive to consolidate all weapons under state authority, warning that no breach of law or sovereignty will be permitted
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraq's prime minister Ali al-Zaidi used Eid al-Adha gathering on Friday to deliver a pointed message on one of Baghdad's most politically sensitive internal challenges: the consolidation of weapons control under the exclusive authority of the state.
Receiving a delegation of tribal leaders and prominent public figures who had come to offer holiday greetings on Friday, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi issued an unambiguous declaration of government intent.
According to a statement released by his office, al-Zaidi "strongly emphasized that the government is determined to implement the weapons control project under state authority and will not, under any circumstances, allow the rule of law and sovereignty to be violated."
The Iraqi prime minister framed the arms control drive within a broader set of governing priorities, outlining three pillars that he said define the direction of his administration: confronting corruption, strengthening Iraq's standing and sovereignty, and opening the country to the building of regional and international relationships in service of Iraqi national interests.
The choice of an Eid reception — a traditional occasion for reconciliation, community, and deference to tribal custom — as the setting for such a firm public statement was itself a signal, directed at precisely the constituency most likely to resist centralized weapons policy.
No timeline or operational details were provided in the statement, but al-Zaidi's language left little ambiguity about the government's posture: the project to bring all arms under state control is not optional, and enforcement will follow.