US Defense Secretary called for disarming Iran-aligned militias in Iraq

During Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi’s visit to Washington, U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth urged him to disarm Iran-aligned militias. The request was raised in the context of bilateral cooperation and security concerns, as U.S. forces are set to leave the region after more than two decades of presence.

• In a post on X, U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth called for the exercise of Iraqi sovereignty and the disarmament of Iran-aligned militias.
• The U.S. War Secretary said that disarming these militias is necessary to deepen U.S.-Iraq cooperation.
• Pete Hegseth said that Iran-aligned militias were responsible for more than 600 attacks against U.S. forces this spring.
• The U.S. War Secretary added that a secure Iraq would create the conditions for strong commercial and defense cooperation.
• According to ABC, U.S. forces are set to leave the region after more than two decades of presence.
• Some groups have pledged to cooperate with the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi.
• Other groups have continued to refuse disarmament.. Coverage difference: Independent Persian has focused on the U.S. War Secretary’s direct request to the Iraqi Prime Minister to disarm Iran-aligned militias and the reasons behind it. Deutsche Welle (English), by framing the issue as a question in its headlines, has focused more on the analytical aspect and the feasibility of disarming these groups. Citing ABC, Independent Persian also referred to the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the stance of different groups toward cooperation or non-cooperation with the Iraqi government.