Al-Hakim Emphasizes Iraq's Sovereignty and State Control of Weapons in Meeting with Al-Zaidi

Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National State Forces Alliance, emphasized on Sunday the importance of preserving the country's sovereignty and transferring factional weapons to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Commission. He stressed that the PMF is an official security institution reporting directly to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. This statement came during al-Hakim's reception of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, where they discussed developments in the Iraqi and regional political landscape, alongside the current challenges facing Iraq. Al-Hakim commended the efforts made in providing services to citizens and managing state affairs amidst the delicate economic and financial circumstances. He called for addressing challenges with greater national cohesion and internal solidarity. He also underscored the importance of completing the governmental cabinet, urging the appointment of competent ministers capable of shouldering the administrative and financial burdens in Iraq. He further called upon political blocs to finalize their choices regarding their governmental entitlements. Reiterating his support for restricting weapons to state control, al-Hakim encouraged adopting dialogue and understanding as a path to achieve this. Simultaneously, he praised the role of the factions in confronting terrorism and restoring state prestige. He again affirmed the necessity of safeguarding national sovereignty and handing over weapons to the Popular Mobilization Forces Commission, given its status as an official security institution operating under the Commander-in-Chief. He also applauded the government's direction towards adopting program-based budgeting in the upcoming phase, emphasizing the importance of targeting files according to priorities. Al-Hakim called for leveraging this period to diversify the economy, move away from the rentier state model, and diversify Iraqi oil export outlets through a pipeline network towards the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.