Government Reaffirms Absolute Sovereignty, Commits to State Monopoly on Arms and Ending the International Coalition Presence

The official Government Spokesperson, Haider Al-Aboudi, affirmed on Friday (June 5, 2026) that Iraq is a fully sovereign state whose decisions are not subject to external dictations or internal pressures. In an official statement, Al-Aboudi explained that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi's government has placed the reinforcement of state sovereignty at the top of its priorities, stressing that the strategy of confining weapons to official state institutions is a fundamental pillar of this approach. He commended the responsiveness of national forces in ensuring that arms are not utilized for political motives. Regarding foreign troop presence, the spokesperson revealed that September 2026 will mark the end of the International Coalition's presence in Iraq. On the service and economic fronts, Al-Aboudi reassured citizens that salaries are fully secured, noting that the Prime Minister is personally monitoring the fuel crisis and promising an end to the gasoline shortage at fuel stations within the next two days, leveraging the government leadership's extensive economic expertise.