Former PM: Force won't solve Iraq's weapons issue

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Using force to limitweapons to the state can lead to fighting among Iraqis and ultimately weakenthe state, Former Iraqi Prime Minister and head of Al-Nasr (Victory) Coalition,Haider Al-Abadi, said on Thursday.

Speaking during theopening session of the Baghdad Council for Dialogue, Al-Abadi pointed out that theconstitution clearly stipulates that weapons should be exclusively under statecontrol, noting that every government formed since 2003 has adopted thatprinciple in its governing program with the backing of all major politicalblocs.

Read more: Iraq's September deadline undercuts armed factions' case for weapons

He condemned “recentviolations of Iraq's sovereignty by the United States and Saudi Arabia,” sayingthat there was no justification for targeting individuals who had no connectionto the original incident.

“According to what wehave heard from the government, there is still no conclusive evidence that theattack originated from Iraqi territory. The matter requires investigation andverification, especially as there are reports that the Houthis have claimedresponsibility for some of those strikes.” He warned that some parties wereseeking to draw the region into conflict between states, adding that a regionalwar is now centered on Iraq.

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known

Turning to theeconomy, Al-Abadi said Iraq is facing a “real financial crisis, and economicreform remains particularly difficult “because uncontrolled spending fuels populistexpenditure.” He added that oil exports have fallen to about 12% of theirnormal level for more than four months, while the country had already beenunder financial pressure before the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Read more: 2026 budget: Iraq confronts unprecedented fiscal strain ...