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In a significant development, several powerful Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq have signaled their willingness to disarm, marking a potential breakthrough in reducing tensions with the United States under the Trump administration. This unprecedented move was revealed through conversations with ten senior commanders and Iraqi officials.

The initiative comes in response to discrete warnings from U.S. officials to Iraqi authorities since Trump’s inauguration in January. These warnings, conveyed to multiple militia commanders from four major groups, suggested possible American airstrikes against the organizations if Iraq failed to address their presence.

“The factions are not acting stubbornly or insisting on continuing in their current form,” stated Izzat al-Shahbndar, a prominent Shi’ite politician with close ties to Iraq’s government. He noted that discussions between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and militia leaders had made substantial progress.

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“Trump is ready to take the war with us to worse levels, we know that, and we want to avoid such a bad scenario,” revealed a Kataib Hezbollah commander, speaking anonymously while concealing his identity.

The militias, operating under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella, comprise approximately 50,000 fighters equipped with sophisticated weaponry. Their leadership has received approval from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to pursue necessary measures avoiding conflict with American and Israeli forces.

Recent months have seen these groups evacuating their headquarters and enhancing security measures, with commanders frequently changing their communications, vehicles, and residences. The Iraqi government is exploring various options for disarmament, including transforming these organizations into political entities or incorporating them into Iraq’s military structure.

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This development occurs during a challenging period for Iran’s regional influence network, as its allies face significant pressures across the Middle East. The situation is particularly complex for Iraq, which seeks to maintain relationships with both Washington and Tehran while managing these armed groups that emerged following Saddam Hussein’s overthrow in 2003.

Prime Minister Sudani’s foreign affairs adviser, Farhad Alaaeldin, confirmed the government’s commitment to state control over weapons through diplomatic engagement. However, U.S. officials remain cautious, citing previous instances where militia groups temporarily halted activities under pressure only to resume later.

Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie, formerly an adviser to Sudani, emphasized the gravity of the situation on Iraqi state television, suggesting that failure to voluntarily address the militia issue might result in forced external intervention: “If we do not voluntarily comply, it may be forced upon us from the outside, and by force.”