Iran-backed Iraqi militias announce weapons handover as Iran touts hidden military production sites

Two powerful Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Imam Ali Brigades, have agreed to hand over their weapons to state authorities amid U.S. pressure on the new government. However, other groups like Kataib Hezbollah are resisting disarmament. Separately, a senior Iranian general announced that Iran's military production sites are 'completely hidden' and operational, signaling resilience after a recent war with the U.S. and Israel.

Iraqi militia weapons handover

• ▪Two of Iraq's most powerful Iran-backed militias, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Imam Ali Brigades, announced on June 2, 2026, they would begin handing weapons to authorities
• ▪The Imam Ali Brigades stated its aim is to "build a strong state with full sovereignty" where only the state possesses weapons
• ▪A week prior to the announcement, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said his Saraya al-Salam militia would integrate into state institutions
• ▪Asaib Ahl al-Haq formed a committee to inventory its assets and coordinate with the commander-in-chief of Iraq’s armed forces
• ▪The militias' decision was presented as a response to calls from Iraq's top Shiite religious authority and the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework

U.S. pressure on government

• ▪Al-Zaidi, who was sworn in during May 2026, has made a state monopoly on arms a central part of his government's program
• ▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is working to assert state authority over weapons, a policy influenced by pressure from Washington
• ▪The Trump administration has tied U.S. defense cooperation and funding for Iraq to the country's efforts to curb Iran-linked militias

Militia resistance to disarmament

• ▪Two other important Iran-backed groups, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, have rejected the call for disarmament
• ▪Kataib Hezbollah stated its armed activity will continue as part of its "resistance work" and offered to coordinate with the PMF rather than disarm
• ▪Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba have linked the issue of their arms to Iraq's sovereignty and the presence of foreign troops

Middle East war effects

• ▪A war in the Middle East, launched by the United States and Israel with strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, exposed the fragility of Iraq's state institutions
• ▪A confrontation between the U.S. and militias in Iraq led to escalated attacks on U.S. assets before a ceasefire was reached in April 2026
• ▪Asadi acknowledged the recent war caused some damage but said it did not affect Iran's ability to continue military production
• ▪Brigadier General Mohammad Jafar Asadi stated that Iran "has not yet revealed all of its winning cards" and possesses other capabilities to confront threats
• ▪On June 2, 2026, senior IRGC commander Brigadier General Mohammad Jafar Asadi said Iran's military production sites are "completely hidden from the enemy's view."

Popular Mobilization Forces background

• ▪Many groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces maintain their own command structures and direct ties to Iran
• ▪Many Iran-backed militias are funded through the Iraqi state budget and are embedded in the security apparatus, though they often operate outside government control
• ▪The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is a state-backed umbrella organization of mostly Shiite armed groups formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State