None.

Attempts by ‘enemies’ to divide Iran, Iraq will only strengthen ties: Ghalibaf

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says attempts by “enemies” to divide Iran and Iraq will only strengthen ties between the two countries, adding that Tehran and Baghdad will not allow foreign powers to determine their futures.

Speaking at an Arbaeen ceremony in Karbala, Ghalibaf said the relationship between the two countries was rooted in history, geography and shared religious beliefs.

“We were two nations that refused to become a footnote in others’ narratives and did not allow our destiny to be written in Western capitals,” he said.

Ghalibaf said that just as Iran and Iraq had cooperated to establish security, they should now “unite to achieve economic prosperity and development” and pursue projects to improve livelihoods and reduce foreign influence, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.

No intention of military confrontation with armed factions: Iraqi PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says his government has no intention of entering into a military confrontation with armed factions, adding that constructive talks are under way over bringing weapons under state control.

Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue Conference, al-Zaidi said: “We are facing difficult days that no previous government has faced.”

He said some factions had already handed over their weapons, severed previous affiliations and joined the Popular Mobilisation Forces, while discussions were continuing with others.

“There is no intention of a military confrontation with the armed factions, and there is constructive dialogue with them on restricting weapons to the state,” he said.

Al-Zaidi said that “all political forces agree on moving forward with restricting weapons to the state”, adding that work is under way on mechanisms for their handover.

The prime minister also described the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a “major challenge”, saying Iraqi oil exports were currently at about 10 percent of normal levels and that alternative export routes were “makeshift and limited”.

Iran’s Ghalibaf: ‘We stay out of Iraq’s affairs’

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf released a statement saying that Iran does not interfere in Iraqi internal affairs and will support any agreement between the factions and the Iraqi government.

This comes at a time when Baghdad has set a September 30 deadline directing all paramilitary factions to integrate into formal state security structures and surrender independent arsenals.

The drive to centralise arms accelerated following joint US–Saudi air attacks in July. Those attacks targeted militia headquarters across Iraq in response to drone attacks alleged to have been launched against Saudi oil infrastructure and US forces from Iraq.

Most of the armed factions in question are Shia groups, some of which pledge allegiance to Iran.

Several groups, including Saraya al-Salam, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and Kataib al-Imam Ali, have publicly signalled agreements to transition their forces under official state command.

Meanwhile, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba have explicitly rejected total disarmament, maintaining that their weaponry constitutes a necessary resistance capability against future foreign attacks such as those from last month.