Baghdad: President Nizar Amedi affirmed on Saturday that the decision to restrict arms to state control is a national Iraqi decision, while stressing the need for the country not to be drawn into the region’s war.
According to Iraqi News Agency, President Amedi made these statements during a dialogue session with Iraqi Media Network (IMN) Head Karim Al-Hammadi on the sidelines of the Eighth Baghdad Dialogue Conference. He emphasized that everyone is keen to prevent Iraq from being dragged into the ongoing regional conflict, highlighting that Iraq, following Iran, is one of the most affected countries by this war.
President Amedi reiterated that Iraq communicates openly with all countries, emphasizing the priority of national interests. He insisted that the decision to place all arms under state control is purely an Iraqi decision, free from external interference. Talks have been held with Iranian officials, including Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who acknowledged this as an Iraqi-led i
nitiative without any requests for delay from Iran.
The President mentioned that the Prime Minister has requested support from the State Administration Coalition to ensure that all arms are controlled by the state, in accordance with the Constitution and religious authority. Some factions have already complied by handing over their weapons, reinforcing the notion that Iraq will not allow its territory to be used for attacks on other countries.
Addressing the oil sector, President Amedi noted challenges in transporting oil due to the lack of a national carrier, with some vessels navigating through the Strait of Hormuz-a passage critical to global oil transport.
On the international front, he revealed that the United States seeks an agreement to end the ongoing war, with the international coalition set to withdraw by September 30, as Iraq no longer requires its presence to combat ISIS.
Discussing security, President Amedi acknowledged the Turkish presence in northern Iraq. He expressed Iraq’s desire to esta
blish peace with Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), clarifying that the Peshmerga, a constitutionally recognized force in the Kurdistan Region, is not involved in the issue of arms control.
Domestically, he highlighted the government’s efforts to resolve outstanding issues and focus on economic stabilization, asserting that regional security depends on Iraq’s security and stability. He also condemned the attempted targeting of Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan as a terrorist act.
In legislative matters, President Amedi identified the Oil and Gas Law as a crucial issue, historically causing friction between Baghdad and Erbil. He added that the Presidency forwards general amnesty files to the judiciary for consideration, noting that since 2006, 14,000 individuals have been sentenced to death and remain in prisons.