In Iraq, Washington bets on integrating pro-Iranian militias into politics

For Baghdad, the departure of the U.S.-led international coalition on Sept. 30 is expected to usher in a new era of sovereignty. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had also set that date as the deadline for armed groups, particularly those close to Iran, to hand over their weapons to the authorities, before postponing it to June 30, 2027. The challenge of establishing a state monopoly on arms is particularly delicate amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, in which several Iraqi factions have actively fought alongside Tehran. But rather than demanding their exclusion from government, the Trump administration now appears to be betting on their political integration in the hope of gradually persuading them to abandon their military activities. Read more How the United States plans to monitor Iranian movements in Najaf Since taking office in...