Zaidi Pushes Militia Disarmament Deadline to June 2027 After Meeting Rubio at UNGA

PM Ali al-Zaidi met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where the two 'agreed on the importance of Iraq dismantling terrorist militias' and Iraq exercising full sovereignty. Zaidi confirmed to the New York Times that the deadline to bring all non-state weapons under state control has been pushed from September 30, 2026 to June 2027, after hardline factions largely refused to comply. September 30 now marks only the end of the US-led coalition's mission, not the disarmament deadline. Zaidi called the effort 'not something that is optional. It is a necessity,' while an Iraqi official acknowledged 'significant resistance from militia groups.'