US tells Iraq it is verifying armed groups' disarmament

Sources say the Iraqi government has begun to revise some of its positions regarding the issue of restricting weapons to state control and the deadline given to armed factions.

According to sources cited by Al Arabiya on Thursday, the committee formed by the Coordination Framework continues talks with factions refusing to surrender their weapons, particularly Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba. The sources noted that direct meetings with the main leaders of these groups remain difficult, requiring messages to be relayed and responses to be awaited for several hours or days.

The sources added that the committee, which includes Hadi al-Amiri, Nouri al-Maliki, and Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, is working to bridge differences between the factions and the government. Discussions are ongoing over a proposal suggesting that September 30 should not be a final deadline for handing over weapons.

The sources also revealed that Washington has rejected the appointment of the brother of Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, as deputy prime minister, despite the group's involvement in the weapons handover process.

According to Al Arabiya, the sources further stated that Washington has informed Iraqi parties that it is conducting checks to verify whether these factions have fully handed over their weapons to the state.