The Iraqi government has firmly rejected a proposal by the United States to keep a contingent of coalition forces in the country beyond the September 30 deadline.
Government spokesman Haider Al-Aboudi announced the decision during a press conference in Baghdad, confirming that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi turned down the American request to extend the military footprint.
“The prime minister rejected a proposal for some international coalition forces to remain beyond September 30,” Al-Aboudi stated, emphasizing that the Iraqi state is firmly exercising its legal authority to manage the country’s affairs and will not be drawn into broader regional conflicts.
Al-Aboudi also said that the government’s timetable for negotiating with factions within the Popular Mobilization Unites (PMU) on their disarmament is proceeding in an “orderly manner,” with state decisions guided strictly by national interests.
He expressed optimism that the disarmament file would be concluded before the end of the month, describing the current period as a “transitional stage founded on cooperation and shared interests.”
Government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said negotiations with groups aligned with the Resistance Front are proceeding systematically , adding that public sector salaries are secured and the draft budget law will be voted on by the cabinet.
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The September 30 cutoff was established late last month under heavy US pressure, serving as a strict deadline for the disarmament of various armed groups operating within Iraq.
The mandate requires PMU factions to hand over their weapons to the state, a move Baghdad frames as necessary to unify military decision-making and regulate the possession of arms.
While the Iraqi government pushes forward with its disarmament roadmap, the mandate has faced fierce opposition from prominent resistance factions.
Some smaller armed organizations have agreed to transfer their arsenals to state control, but major resistance groups have flatly refused to comply.
The core of the resistance’s refusal to disarm lies in the nature of the US withdrawal itself.
Under the current agreement brokered between Washington and Baghdad, the US military is slated for a “transitional” pullout.
Such a framework would shift remaining American troops from a combat role to an “advisory” capacity, effectively allowing the US to maintain a long-term military presence in the country.
Resistance groups are demanding a complete, unconditional, and total withdrawal of all US forces from Iraqi soil.
Source: Press tv