Shafaq News– BaghdadIraq is heading toward a “dangerous crossroads” assome political forces blur the line between defending the state and shieldingthemselves from the fallout of regional shifts, particularly developmentsinside Iran, Iraqi politician Mithal Al-Alusi warned on Saturday.Speaking to Shafaq News, Al-Alusi said that repeatedUS objections to including armed factions in Iraq’s next government, alongwith calls to dismantle and strip them of weapons, reflect pressure to enforcethe constitution and the rule of law, cautioning, “Ignoring this pressure couldlead to serious political, security, and economic consequences.”Al-Alusi added that Washington views the growinginfluence of figures linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as athreat to Iraqi sovereignty, placing responsibility on the caretaker governmentto curb Iran’s reach and the influence of the Axis of Resistance, whichincludes Hezbollah and the Houthis (Ansarallah) movement. Continued alignmentwith regional conflicts could draw Iraq into financing wars through money,politics, or manpower, he warned, noting that instability in Iran, Syria, orLebanon would quickly spill over.: US strategy 2026: Containment or military strike for Iraqi armed factionsThe US assessment is that the Shiite CoordinationFramework no longer has the ability to impose its political agenda, Al-Alusi argued,describing it as an alliance formed outside parliament and influenced by Iran’sQuds Force commander Esmail Qaani. “The bloc includes armed factions accused ofterrorism and loyalty to a foreign power, using their leverage to steerlegislation and restrict government action.”Iraqi leaders face a choice between enforcing theconstitution or remaining tied to regional alignments that risk isolating thecountry, he concluded.Debate over weapons outsidestate control intensified in late 2025. Several Iran-aligned factions,including Kataib Imam Ali, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, Ansar Allah Al-Awfiya, and KataibSayyid Al-Shuhada, indicated readiness to support limiting arms to the state.Other factions, however, rejected that approach, with Kataib Hezbollah arguingthat state sovereignty and security must first be ensured through thewithdrawal of US, NATO, and Turkish forces, while framing armed resistance as alegitimate right.: Iraq’s armed factions and the disarmament debate: Why unity masks deep divisionsThe United States hasrepeatedly called for the full dismantling of all armed factions operatingindependently in Iraq, stressing that any disarmament must be irreversible,conducted under a binding national framework, and exclude armed groups fromgovernment participation.Earlier today, a spokesperson for the US Embassy inBaghdad told Shafaq News that members of “Iran-backed militias” who rejectIraqi calls for disarmament should not participate in Iraq’s next government, explainingthat such groups “undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten Americans and Iraqis,and pilfer Iraq's resources for the benefit of Iran.”