Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Parliament to Vote on New PMF Draft Law as Zaidi Outlines Plan to Bring Weapons Under State Control – On September 29, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s Cabinet finalized a draft law on the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and referred it to parliament for discussion and a vote. The draft was prepared “within the framework of the government’s keenness to regulate the administrative framework of security institutions” and to show “appreciation for the sacrifices” of PMF fighters, according to a statement from Zaidi’s office, which offered no details about the proposed legislation. Last year, efforts by parliamentary blocs affiliated with militias operating under the PMF umbrella to pass similar legislation drew strong objections from Washington, which warned that “any such legislation would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.” News of the bill came a day before Zaidi announced a formal start to efforts to bring weapons held by armed factions under state control, outlining what he called an agreed roadmap and timeline extending no later than June 30, 2027. Zaidi also said the government would disarm all non-Iraqi armed groups operating on Iraqi territory. He reiterated that Iraq would not allow its territory or airspace to be used to threaten neighboring countries and rejected the use of any other country’s territory or airspace to attack Iraq. Zaidi added that the government would begin procuring effective air defense systems and pursue legislation affirming the PMF’s place within the security establishment under the command of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Militia responses were mixed. A spokesman for the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” said factions under the umbrella group were not bound by any timeline or agreement issued by the government. Meanwhile, Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi said the group would suspend military operations, except for attacks on hostile aircraft until the government’s air defenses were fully operational. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: U.S. Military Completes Its Withdrawal from Iraq – On September 30, the last remaining U.S. military personnel left an air base in Erbil that had housed U.S.-led coalition forces fighting ISIS for 12 years, marking the end of the U.S. military presence in Iraq, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The withdrawal was part of the scheduled transition from the Global Coalition’s military mission to a bilateral U.S.-Iraq relationship, which the two countries agreed to in September 2024. CENTCOM noted that forces tasked with fighting ISIS under Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) would continue to work alongside Syrian forces and other U.S. allies from a new headquarters in neighboring Jordan. At a transition ceremony in Baghdad, Prime Minister Zaidi hailed the event as Iraq’s “Sovereignty Day” and asserted that Iraqi security forces were capable of maintaining control over the security situation nationwide. He added that transferring joint operations responsibilities to the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces established an institutional framework for managing these efforts under state authority and senior command. Iran-backed Iraqi militias also celebrated the day, albeit for different reasons. A spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah described the transition as “the expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty.” Meanwhile, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani expressed concern about the U.S. withdrawal, warning that the lack of adequate air defenses could leave the Region vulnerable to future attacks by Iran and allied militias. In other developments, on September 27, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service said its troops killed two suspected ISIS militants during operations in the Altun-Kupri subdistrict of Kirkuk. The military acknowledged that a local woman died from injuries sustained during the fighting, but provincial council members said two boys were also killed by troops and called for an immediate investigation into the incident. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Najaf Airport Gets Temporary Exemption for Flights to Iran – On September 29, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an exemption to the recently imposed flight ban on Iran, allowing Iraqi Airways and its service providers to operate limited flights between Iraq and Iran until October 28, 2026. The authorization permits flights departing from and returning to Najaf International Airport exclusively to transport Iranian passengers traveling for religious pilgrimage, with tight restrictions on permitted cargo. The announcement came a few days after the Iraqi government said it was negotiating with Washington to secure an exemption for flights serving humanitarian and religious purposes. The ban, and Baghdad’s compliance with it, drew strong objections and threats from Iraqi groups with close ties to Iran, with Kataib Hezbollah threatening to overthrow Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi if the government continued to enforce the ban. In other developments, on September 26, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the Syrian Petroleum Company had begun transferring gasoline destined for Iraq, which has been experiencing widespread gasoline shortages, through Syrian ports. The shipments are being received at the Baniyas oil terminal on the Mediterranean coast and then loaded onto tanker trucks under a three-month renewable agreement aimed at securing energy supplies amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. On September 29, the Iraqi government issued orders banning the export of copper, aluminum, lead, and iron, citing the need to ensure domestic industries have access to essential raw materials. more…

For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.

POLITICS: Parliament to Vote on New PMF Draft Law as Zaidi Outlines Plan to Bring Weapons Under State Control

On September 26, the Iraqi and Kuwaiti governments agreed to establish a mechanism for renewed discussions aimed at resolving outstanding disputes, a statement by Prime Minister Zaidi’s office said. The mechanism was based on last week’s bilateral talks between Zaidi and the crown prince of Kuwait, Sabah Khalid al-Sabah in New York. The mechanism calls for creating a bilateral working group to develop a roadmap for addressing these disputes to be presented to the two governments within 30 days. The working group will meet in Baghdad and Kuwait City on an alternating basis until its work is done, the statement added. While the statement did not mention the specific issues the working group will deal with, tensions between Iraq and Kuwait have mainly stemmed from disputes over the shared maritime border in the Khor Abdullah waterway and the drone and missile attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias against Kuwait, especially during the Iran war. 

On September 29, the Integrity Commission said that an Iraqi anti-corruption court had sentenced Ninewa lawmaker Mohammed Farman al-Jubouri from the Taqaddum Party to ten years in prison after finding him guilty of illegal enrichment and obstruction. The court also ordered Jubouri, who was among a dozen lawmakers arrested during the government’s anti-corruption sweep in June, to pay the state the equivalent of nearly $20 million in compensation and fines.  

On September 29, the Iraqi Council of Ministers finalized a draft law on the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and referred it to parliament for discussion and a vote, according to a statement from Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s office. The draft was prepared “within the framework of the government’s keenness to regulate the administrative framework of security institutions” and to show “appreciation for the sacrifices” of PMF fighters. The statement did not provide details about the proposed legislation. Last year, efforts by parliamentary blocs affiliated with militias operating under the PMF umbrella to pass similar legislation drew strong objections from the U.S. government. Then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio told former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani that the bill raised “serious U.S. concerns” and stressed that “any such legislation would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty,” according to a State Department readout of their phone call.

On October 1, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced a formal start to efforts to place the weapons of armed factions under state control, outlining what he called an agreed roadmap and timeline that would extend no later than June 30, 2027. Citing the constitutional principle that decisions on war and peace belong to the state, Zaidi also said the government would fully disarm all non-Iraqi armed groups operating on Iraqi territory. He reiterated that Iraq would not allow its territory or airspace to be used to threaten neighboring countries and rejected the use of any other country’s territory or airspace to attack Iraq. Zaidi said the government would also begin procuring effective air defense systems and pursue legislation regulating the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), affirming its place within the security establishment under the command of the commander-in-chief. Militia responses to the government’s efforts were mixed. Jaafar al-Husseini, spokesman for the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” said factions under the umbrella group were not bound by any timeline or agreement issued by the government. He said the government had not yet responded to the group’s proposals and said the group would retain its weapons and its right to respond to any U.S. or Israeli violation of Iraqi sovereignty, while remaining open to dialogue. Meanwhile, Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi announced that the group would suspend military operations and “mobile logistical activities.” However, he said the suspension would not cover attacks against hostile aircraft until the government’s air defenses were fully operational.

Sources cited in this section include: Iraqi PM’s office, al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, INA, Shafaq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: U.S. Military Completes Its Withdrawal from Iraq

On September 25, security sources in Maysan province reported that three people were killed in armed tribal clashes in Qalat Salih district, south of Amara. The sources described the fighting as an act of tribal revenge linked to a previous killing. In neighboring Dhi-Qar Province, sources reported on September 30 that a member of the security forces was killed while responding to armed clashes between two tribes in al-Fadhliyah subdistrict.

On September 27, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said its troops clashed with three suspected ISIS militants in the Altun-Kupri subdistrict of Kirkuk Province, killing two and capturing the third. During the fighting, government forces used mortar fire against the militants’ position, causing civilian casualties in the surrounding area. According to a military statement, a local woman died from injuries sustained during the bombardment. However, provincial council members said that two boys from Altun-Kupri were also killed during the fighting and called for an immediate investigation into the incident.

On September 28, security officials in the Kurdistan Region said that three one-way attack drones struck Azadi camp in Koy Sanjaq district, Erbil Province. The camp houses civilians affiliated with the Iranian opposition group Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDP-I). The early morning attack involved Hadid-type drones and damaged buildings in the camp, but did not result in casualties, the officials said.

On September 28, security officials in Erbil said that a demining worker was injured when a landmine exploded during clearance operations in the Zengan region of Choman district. Further south, local sources in al-Muthanna Province reported that a civilian was killed when an explosive remnant of war detonated in the province’s Badiya desert region.

On September 30, the last remaining U.S. military personnel and equipment left an air base in Erbil that had housed forces of the U.S.-led global coalition against ISIS for 12 years, marking the conclusion of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Iraq and the end of U.S. military presence in the country, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The withdrawal, which CENTCOM described as “orderly” is part of the scheduled transition from the Global Coalition’s military mission towards a bilateral relationship, which the two countries had agreed to in September 2024. The CENTCOM noted that the forces tasked with fighting ISIS, known as Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), will continue to work alongside Syrian forces and other U.S. allies and operate from a new headquarters in neighboring Jordan. “ISIS no longer poses a systemic threat to Iraq’s national security and Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Iraqi Kurdistan Region security forces, now possess the capacity, leadership, and operational independence to unilaterally manage threats to their homeland,” declared CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over the official ceremony in Baghdad marking the transition, which he designated “Sovereignty Day.” Zaidi said Iraq’s own security forces are able to establish control over the security situation across the country. He added that transferring joint operations responsibilities to the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces established an institutional framework for managing these efforts under state authority and senior command. Zaidi said a new phase had begun, defined by Iraqi sovereignty, capable security forces, unified decision-making, and balanced partnerships with international partners. He also emphasized that there must be “no weapons outside the framework of the law and no force outside state institutions,” in accordance with the constitution, the guidance of Iraq’s senior religious authority, and the will of the Iraqi people. Iran-backed Iraqi militias also celebrated the day, albeit for different reasons. A spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah described the transition as “the expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty.” Meanwhile, Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan region, called the U.S. withdrawal concerning. He cautioned that lack of adequate air defenses would leave the region, whose territory has been targeted by nearly a thousand drones and missiles launched by Iran and allied militias since the outbreak of the Iran war, more vulnerable to future attacks.

Sources cited in this section include: Shafaq, INA, +964, Rudaw, al-Sumaria, Bas News, al-Mirbad, CENTCOM, ISHM archive, Iraqi PM’s office, Peregraf, AP. 

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Najaf Airport Gets Temporary Exemption for Flights to Iran

On September 26, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the Syrian Petroleum Company had begun transferring gasoline destined for Iraq, which has been dealing with widespread gasoline shortages and long lines at the pump. The gasoline shipments are being received through the Baniyas oil terminal on the Mediterranean then loaded onto tanker trucks under a three-month renewable agreement aimed at securing energy supplies amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The first shipment consisted of 57 tanker trucks, with operations expected to expand to approximately 200 trucks daily through the al-Tanf border crossing. Qatar’s UCC company is responsible for supplying the gasoline from international suppliers, while Syrian authorities handle transportation in exchange for transit fees. Separately, the Syrian Petroleum Company said that between 1,000 and 1,200 tanker trucks carrying Iraqi fuel oil for export currently transit Syrian territory daily. Officials said the initial transfers were limited to verify operational readiness, ensure accurate quantities, and coordinate escorts before gradually increasing the volume. Tankers typically carry about 200 barrels each, suggesting Iraq is exporting more than 200,000 barrels per day of fuel oil through Syria. 

On September 29, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an exemption to the recently imposed flight ban on Iran, allowing Iraqi Airways and its service providers to operate limited flights between Iraq and Iran until October 28, 2026. The authorization permits flights departing from and returning to Najaf International Airport exclusively to transport Iranian passengers traveling for religious pilgrimage. The announcement came a few days after the Iraqi government said it was negotiating with Washington to secure an exemption allowing flights for humanitarian and religious purposes. The ban, and Baghdad’s compliance with it, drew strong objections and threats from Iraqi groups with close ties to Iran. Prompted into action by a senior Iranian official who called their response “empty,” leaders of the Coordination Framework held an urgent meeting to discuss the ban. Kataib Hezbollah threatened to overthrow Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and close Iraq’s borders with its other neighbors if the government continued to enforce the ban. The exemption prohibits the transport of bulk cash, cargo intended for Iranian intelligence, military, or law enforcement agencies, and individuals subject to U.S. restrictions, including Iranian government officials and members of Iran-aligned militias. Permitted cargo is limited to personal baggage and items necessary for flight safety, while other exports to Iran remain prohibited unless specifically authorized. Iraqi Airways must submit a report to the U.S. within 10 business days of the authorization’s expiration, detailing passenger numbers and identities, passport numbers, and expenditures in Iran on fuel, maintenance, and airport-related services. The exemption notice states that the U.S. Treasury Department reserves the right to revoke or amend the authorization at any time.

On September 29, the Iraqi government issued orders banning the export of copper, aluminum, lead, and iron outside the country, citing the need to provide domestic industries with the necessary raw materials. The ban covers all forms of these metals, including ingots, alloys, and scrap metal, according to a statement by Prime Minister Zaidi’s office. 

Sources cited in this section include: Sana, ISHM archive, al-Sumaria, Iraqi PM’s office, Shafaq.

Derived from firsthand accounts and Iraq-based Arabic and Kurdish news sources, the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor is a free publication of the Enabling Peace in Iraq Center.

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